Everchanging Seasons
by StarlitSummerMoon
Summary: Kamil does what he can to impress and win the heart of Akiko (Annie/Minori), but it's not easy when someone else has already captured it. Raeger, too shy to express his feelings for her, struggles as he watches another man attempt to steal her infatuation. Licorice, her best friend, has known all along who Akiko truly desires.
1. Amethyst Eyes

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** _Welcome to my first Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons fanfiction! I've been playing the game for a little bit now and I was just inspired to write one!_

 _I will be tweaking a few of the character's personality a little bit, but I'll try to keep them as original as possible._

 _Also, I will be changing the default name and appearance of the main character._

 _Please enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter One: Amethyst Eyes  
**

Summer started off smoothly this year. The trade depot was bustling with country traders, some of which were considered the norm while others were still new to Oak Tree Town. Veronica stood at the entrance as she welcomed them all to Oak Tree Town, smiling. Just a few years ago, the trade depot was considered a slow part of town, and now it was the busiest. Tourists came from neighboring villages, big cities, and even from the same countries they traded with.

As soon as everyone got settled in, Veronica made her way over to Jonas' little kiosk.

"Good morning, Miss Veronica!" he greeted her with a large smile, still trying to tend to those asking for information.

"Jonas!" Veronica responded, returning his grin. "A good morning, indeed! We are quite busy this Monday morning, aren't we?"

"It is the beginning of a new season. All the vendors will be have new and exciting items to welcome the summer days."

"Yes," she sighed, "sometimes I wonder if we'll ever be able to keep up with all these tourists. Maurice has had to upgrade his inn in order to accommodate for all the people."

Jonas gave a confused look and asked, "But Miss Veronica, isn't this what you wanted?"

"Of course," she nodded, "I just didn't expect it to happen so fast. By the way, has she made her way down here yet?"

"Well," Jonas was busy shuffling information around his desk as people began piling up, "she usually makes her way down here about 10, and it's only 9:30, so it could be any minute now."

"Good to know," Veronica said as she made her way back to the guild hall. She needed to leave Jonas to do his job, as his desk started to get extremely busy, as it did every new season. She passed by many more tourists as she walked up the stone steps. Her smile grew bigger across her face. Oak Tree Town's economy was finally living up to its potential.

In a way, this was all thanks to one young woman, who moved to Oak Tree Town just about a year ago.

* * *

Raeger woke up at about 8 am every morning to prepare his restaurant for opening. He knew today would be busy with customers, for everyone in town knew that the beginning of a new season was the busiest time for the town.

He put on his brown vest over his white shirt as he combed his hair. Always eager to be downstairs early, multitasking in the morning was a must. Straightening up his red tie, he smiled in the mirror. Fidgeting with his hair and straightening up his clothes, getting ready for a new day.

As he made his way down the wooden stairs, he quickly wrapped his apron around his waist, holding his notepad and pen in his mouth. The curtains over the windows were flung open, welcoming the morning sun into the building. Summer sunlight bounced off the pots and pans in the kitchen and gave a nice glow to the oak tables, giving a little more sparkle and warmth to the atmosphere. This became his normal morning routine, for he didn't want to chance missing the sight of her passing by. It was exciting to him as watching the sunrise. However, today was extra special. He had ordered some crops from her and today was the promised delivery date.

He began to set up the tables when he heard a knock on the window.

 _Odd. She shouldn't be here just yet._

Reaching into his pocket for the keys, he made his way for the door. The closer he got, the more he could make out the silhouette. It was only Fritz, who frequently stopped by in the morning, hoping to snag some breakfast before the 'crowd came in.' Raeger rolled his eyes as a slightly annoyed grin came to his face.

 _Good ol' Fritz. Anything for a free meal._

Fritz burst through the door before Raeger even had a chance to open it himself, his usual entrance. He waltzed all the way to the kitchen with his muddy, worn out shoes and dirt dusted trousers.

"Mornin' Rae buddy!" Fritz greeted happily. "How's it goin?"

"It's _goin_ fine, I guess," Raeger responded, a little annoyed with the muddy tracks, "Let me guess, you want something to eat?"

"How did ya guess?" the dirty farmer laughed nervously as he scratched the back of his head.

"It's not hard when you ask every morning _before_ resaurant hours."

"Aaah, c'mon buddy! Just a quick meal! I'm starvin'!"

"I'm not even ready to prepare anything for you, and even if I was, you still owe for the last meal I made for you. Freebies aren't exactly my policy."

"Oooh, that's right... Well, listen! I'll be back with some cash after I sell my veggies to cabin country today. Buuuut, until then, ya think ya could-"

"Uhm, hello?"

Fritz was suddenly interrupted by another voice. The door wasn't closed after he had burst his way through it. Raeger turned around to see who had quietly made their way in. His emerald eyes widened and his cheeks flushed pink.

Standing in the doorway with the bright morning light shining behind her, holding a small crate in her arms, was Akiko. Her chocolate brown hair was pulled back into two pigtails with large ringlet curls which bounced on her shoulders. She was wearing one of her new outfits, a purple blouse and a lavender skirt with a white apron to cover over it. Her dark brown boots were definitely much cleaner than Fritz's as she made her way across the room to Raeger with a smile as bright as the sun.

"Kiki!" Fritz shouted with excitement. "I didn't expect to see ya here!"

"Well, Raeger had ordered some goods from me, so I'm just here to deliver them before I head to the trade depot," Akiko replied sweetly, "Speaking of, why aren't _you_ there filling up cabin country's order of turnips?"

"I- I was tryin' to get Rae here to make me somethin'," he replied, a little nervous, "Ya think ya could put in a good word for me?"

Akiko laughed lightly as she replied, "Fritz, I'm sure he'd be more than happy to once the restaurant is open."

Raeger smiled and enjoyed having her on his side.

"Oh, alright, Kiki," Fritz sighed in disappointment, "I guess I'll jus' come back later." He made his way out the door slouching, hoping to produce some guilt from either of them. Seeing that it wasn't working, he made his way down the steps and headed for the trade depot. Raeger closed the door after him, double checking the sign read "Closed" to anyone outside. He sighed in relief, then gave his attention to Akiko.

She had placed the crate on the floor next to her and helped herself to one of the bar stools, patiently waiting. Crouching down to pick it up, he inspected the goods, but of course, he never doubted her quality. After took it back to the kitchen, he noticed that she placed a few eggs and some milk, which he never ordered.

"Akiko," he called out as he turned back to her, "I think you might have mixed up my order with a different one."

She shook her head, making her thick curls sway, as she replied, "Well, you mentioned a few days ago that you needed some more dairy, so I thought I'd save you a few dollars."

A few dollars? Her milk and eggs gave her the biggest profits from its quality. Was she willing to just _give_ them to him, free of charge?

"Akiko, please," Raeger urged, "I can't just accept these without some kind of-" He suddenly was at a loss for words when she smiled at him and her dark purple eyes locked onto him. As he swallowed a large lump in his throat, his face began to fluster, a little embarrassed, realizing he suddenly fell silent.

"Raeger, you know I don't mind," she snapped him out of his trance, "think of it as a gift." She placed her hand on top of his which was resting on the counter top. He wanted so much to intertwine his fingers with hers, but alas, his urges remained suppressed.

They chatted for a few more minutes, but it didn't last as she needed to be at the trade depot to fill orders and sell other goods. As a small token of gratitude, he gave her some juice that was made the night prior in preparation for the busy day ahead, along with his payment for his order. He watched her walk down the stone steps to the trade depot, holding the reins of her brown horse which towed along the large cart of goods through the small window of the front door. When she was out of sight, he turned around and leaned his back against it and sighed.

The heart in his chest was still pounding and his face was still flustered. This infatuation was starting to turn into something much more, and at a faster pace than it did at first. Her innocent beauty and sweet nature has captured him from day one, and has been reeling him in since.

His biggest fear was her falling for someone else, more so before he was able to express his own feelings to her.

* * *

 _Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I will try to update as soon as possible! It might have to be once a week, but I'm hoping to squeeze in more!_

 _Feedback is welcomed! Thank you!_


	2. A Flower's Beauty

**Chapter Two: A Flower's Beauty  
**

Licorice usually arose as early as the sunrise in order to start on her studies early. Her arms stretched up high, accompanied by a large yawn before she swung her feet over the edge of her bed. The infamous teal colored dress and headband waited, nicely folded, on the dresser across the room. Being the first day of summer, she considered finding a different alternative to stay cool. She shrugged at the thought; she spent most of her time up in the mountains where it was always cool, even one hot, summer days. This outfit was her absolute favorite, she had several of them, for it was all she had brought with her from her home village in a far away mountain.

She slipped on her light brown shoes as she picked up her materials for study before quietly heading out the door. Everyone else in the hotel was still sound asleep, it was still too early for all the tourists to head to the trade depot. When she reached the bottom of the wooden stairs, she saw Maurice dozing off at the front desk; he had been up all night for his shift.

"Oh, father, you should really hire some more people."

It was Lillie; she had walked in from the back room, all ready to head to work. She patted her snoozing father on the shoulder before taking notice to Licorice.

"Licorice, good morning!" she greeted cheerfully. "Getting an early head start on your summer?"

"Yes," Licorice replied, returning Lillie's joyful attitude, "I have a lot planned. I need to get started."

"Well, how about we head out together then?"

"Sure! That sounds great!"

Licorice turned around to head out the door, but instead she ran directly into someone. With a loud "OOF" she dropped her binder of notes and small pouch of writing utensils.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, bending down to pick up her things. "I didn't even look where I was going!"

The other person bent down as well, for he also dropped what he was holding; a beautiful bouquet of yellow daffodils. It was Kamil.

"It's alright," he spoke quietly with a small grin, "I should've said something. It was rude of me."

"No, no! It was clearly my fault!"

Kamil let out a small laugh as he helped her up. They both agreed it was merely an accident. The three of them, Licorice, Kamil, and Lillie all headed out together, but Lillie had to split off early to head towards the big city for her job as weather girl.

Licorice and Kamil head up the stone steps, towards the mountain paths. She kept looking at the daffodils, being too curious for her own good.

"So, who are the flowers for?" she asked teasingly as they left Oak Tree Town. Deep down, she already knew the answer.

"Well, I had some left from my last order, so I thought I'd give them to Akiko," he responded, stroking some of the petals as his cheeks blushed pink.

"You know, she's usually busy at this time."

"Oh, is she? Hmmm... well, is she heading towards town today?"

"Of course she is. It's the first day of summer. She needs get her spring revenue and buy seeds for her summer crops."

"Do you know about what time she'll be heading down?"

"She might be down there about 10."

Kamil sighed with disappointment. He was really hoping to finally see her farm; not many have been up there since it's so far up the trail. He mostly wanted to surprise her first thing in the morning, but he also didn't want to be a burden. Thanking Licorice, he let her be on her way to the orchard for her studies. Before she got too far, she stopped her.

"Licorice, I was, uh, wondering," Kamil started off, his face turning pinker as he turned his eyes towards the ground, "do you- do you think Akiko has any feelings for me?"

"What? Seriously?" Licorice replied, a little annoyed. _Am I ever going to get to the orchard?_ she thought. "Why would I know something like that?"

"You are her best friend, I just thought you might know. It's just that I'm always trying to be nice to her and I've been giving her flowers for a while now. I was hoping that maybe she was starting to notice me."

"Kamil, maybe you should tell her how you feel instead of just pacing around the subject."

"I try, I really do, but I'm just a little shy... she just seems to really friendly to everybody, and I just want her to see me as, well, more than a friend."

"You'll never know unless you ask," Licorice sighed as she turned around to head towards the orchard. She was done with this conversation. He was always asking for information about Akiko; she didn't like being his personal guidebook to her best friend's heart. Besides, she already knew the answer to his question, she just knew it wasn't _her_ place to tell him.

Kamil watched Licorice walk further up the path, then stared at the daffodils as he thought beautiful, little Akiko.

"She's just too beautiful for words," he whispered after Licorice was out of earshot, "I'm determined to get a date with her!" With a smile on his face, he headed back for Oak Tree Town, practicing what to say once he met with Akiko at the trade depot in order to gain more confidence.

Today was going to be the day!

* * *

As she approached the fork in the road, Licorice decided to make a quick stop before heading towards the orchard. The farm was just next door, after all. She walked through the wooden archway and saw Akiko over by the barn, letting her animals out for the day. She saw her friend from afar, threw her arm up in the air, and started waving with huge grin on her face, her bouncing curls swaying.

"Licorice! It's so good to see you this morning!" Akiko greeted her best friend.

"It's great to see you, too, Akiko," Licorice replied as she starting patting one of her cows. She noticed a small crate of vegetables and dairy products waiting at the wooden gate of the pasture. "Do you have a delivery in town?"

"Oh, yes," Akiko said as she lead her horse over to the full cart of goods that were to be sold at the trade depot, "that's Raeger's order. I'll be stopping by his restaurant this morning before heading towards the depot."

"I see. Did you throw a love letter in there as well?" Licorice teased.

"C'mon, you're going to start this early? I've told you over and over, we're just friends."

"And I've told _you_ over and over, that two people who look at each other the way you two do have more than friendship in mind."

"Please, I'm sure Raeger could find a better girl. What about Lillie, or Angela? Agate would even be a good match."

"You need to stop denying it. Have you ever noticed the way he stares at you when you talk to him, or even when you're in the same room together? He never stops smiling! Neither do you."

Akiko just let out a small laugh as she strapped the cart to her horse. Licorice was always teasing her about Raeger, although she had to admit he was rather handsome and very kind to her.

Once, Raeger fainted in his restaurant from overworking, and Akiko tended to him in his room. When he woke, he expressed in his gratitude and they ended up talking for hours into the night. They both claim that's when they became good friends, but ever since then, they're feelings for one another began to grow. Deep down, she did feel something for him, but she was constantly denying it. Why would he chose a farm girl over a nurse, a ranger, or even a rich girl?

"By the way," Licorice interrupted her train of thought, "your wanna-be-boyfriend has been asking about you all morning."

"Huh? Who?" Akiko was completely clueless.

"Who else? Kamil."

"Ugh, again. Don't tell me, _more_ flowers?"

"Yes, don't you like them?" Licorice didn't really know how she felt about Kamil, and this was her chance to find out.

"They're nice, yes, but, I don't know. He showers me with gifts and flattery, but he's never really _talked_ to me. I feel like he knows nothing about me. All I hear is ' _Oh, Akiko! Your beauty is has no parallel!_ ' or ' _Your eyes are a constant reminder of the lavender I grew back in my hometown!_ ' Sure, it's nice, but I can never have a real conversation with the man."

"I see your point. Is that why you prefer Raeger?"

"Raeger will at least- HEY!"

Licorice burst out into laughter as Akiko's face turned brighter than a tomato, but she joined in on the laugh; it was contagious. The two girls walked back through the wooden archway together before Licorice turned to head towards the orchard. She promised to meet up with Akiko at the trade depot later, warning her again that the lovestruck Kamil was waiting for his 'precious flower' to come riding in on her steed.

This made Akiko nervous. Kamil had been hinting at a date, but he has yet to completely ask her out. She was too sweet to hurt his feelings, but she really had no desire to go out with him.

Suddenly, an image of Raeger's face flashed through her mind as she made her way through the public wheat and rice fields. She gasped as she held her hands on her blushing face.

 _I need to stop getting my hopes up_ , she thought, _we're just...friends...right_?

Her heart began pounding as she thought of his handsome face. How much longer could she hide her feelings for the chef of Oak Tree Town?


	3. Flushed Cheeks

**Chapter Three: Flushed Cheeks  
**

It was about noon, and the trade depot's busy crowd was starting to diminish. The tourists had done their business, and the locals were finishing up their shopping. Fritz was able to get enough money to pay back all his IOUs to his local townsfolk and purchased what little he could afford for his summer crops. He was on his way out when he noticed Akiko by Silk Country's booth, finishing up her orders and selling the remainder of her crops and other goods. Her cart now full of seeds, animal treats, and other assorted goods.

Excited, Fritz started to make his way to her direction when he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. Licorice had walked up to Akiko's side, both girls started laughing. His palms became sweaty and his knees weak as he watched her flip her dark hair over her shoulders.

As he just stood there, he swallowed a large lump in his throat. He was lost at what to do next, then Akiko noticed him, smiled, and waved. He mustered the strength to stiffly walk in their direction as she guided her horse and cart to greet him, Licorice by her side, still giggling at whatever they found amusing moments ago.

"H-hello, gals," Fritz stuttered, feeling the sweat on his forehead, "How's it goin'?"

"Hi, Fritz," Licorice replied with a small smile. She noticed his small hand cart, not even half full of sacks of seeds. He saw her looking down at his cart.

"Heh, I guess I'm goin to have another slow summer," he laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head, feeling the sweat running down his neck.

"It would help if you didn't spend so much of your money in town," Licorice retorted, slightly irritated, "You would save more money if you cooked your own food."

"Ya know I'm not good at that kinda stuff.."

"It's never too late to learn."

Akiko could feel the tension building up. Licorice wasn't very tolerable with incompetence, especially for something as simple as cooking. For this reason, she saw Fritz as a fool. He was never able to grow many crops because he always spent what money he had on food or entertainment, making his seasonal revenues small, which made it irritating to listen to him complain about his 'budget.'

"Uhm, you know, Fritz," Akiko started, trying to avert the tension, "I did buy a few extra bags of tomato seeds. I don't think I'll need them."

"R-really?!" Fritz exclaimed as his face lit up from being given a chance to prove himself. "Ya really don't mind?!"

"Nah, tomatoes will give a bit of a boost with your revenue. Just rethink your budget, alright?"

"Yah, yah! Wow, Kiki! Ya truly are the best!"

"Uhm, yeah, no problem, Fritz," Akiko said with an uncomfortable smile. She really didn't like it when he called her 'Kiki.' "You know, if I remember right, you still owe Raeger for those-"

"Oh, that's right! Thanks for the reminder, Kiki!"

Licorice's face lit up with an idea.

"HEY, Fritz," Licorice butted in with a large grin on her face, "We're going to grab a bite to eat at his restaurant, so we wouldn't mind dropping off the money for you."

"Uh, yeah?" Fritz was confused by her sudden change in attitude towards him, "That- that wouldn't be-"

"Oooh, c'mon," Licorice threw her arm around his shoulder and pulled him close, "this way, you can go get your crops started, without any distractions."

Fritz blushed as he looked back to Akiko. She shrugged her shoulders then winked at him with a cheeky grin. He looked back at Licorice.

"Ya would really do that for me?" he asked in a shy, nervous tone.

"I don't see why not," Licorice replied, giving Akiko a teasing eye. Akiko blushed, she now caught onto what she was trying to do now.

Fritz nodded in agreement and handed Licorice the money, who then walked back to her friend. As the now confident farmer walked out of the depot with his now full cart, Akiko confronted Licorice.

"What exactly are you up to?" she asked with a demanding voice.

"I'm going to show you that spark I was talking about earlier," Licorice replied, flipping through the money before she folded it into her pocket.

"I was just there a couple of hours ago! I didn't notice any spark!" Akiko felt a lump in her throat, her face turning redder.

"Then maybe you need to open your eyes. You just choose not to notice it because you're so stuck on thinking that he might like someone else."

"What?! No! I've already said that we're just friends!"

"Your tomato face says otherwise." Licorice's cheeky grin was growing as she started laughing.

The two girls went back and forth, Akiko's face getting more flustered and Licorice's laugh getting louder. They just walked by Jonas' desk when they were stopped by Kamil, who was just making his way into the depot to look for Akiko.

"Akiko!" He exclaimed with glee. "I'm so glad I found you!"

"Kamil!" both girls shouted as they were caught off guard, both at a loss for words, worried how much he had heard. Luckily, he didn't hear a word of anything.

Blushing, Kamil held out the bouquet of daffodils. "These, uh, are for you!"

"Oh, thank you," Akiko took the flowers, "you really didn't have to."

"Yes, I did," Kamil insisted, suddenly gaining confidence and changing his tone, "A beautiful girls deserves beautiful flowers."

Akiko just smiled as she put them on top of some of the items in her cart. Licorice looked at Kamil with a disgruntled look, but he just nodded because he took it as 'Are you going to ask or not?' When Akiko came back around to the front of the cart to her friend's side again, Kamil suddenly grabbed her hand before she could say anything.

"Akiko, I must ask you something important," he started, looking deep into her purple eyes, "Will you go on a date with me?"

"A d-date?!" Akiko exclaimed and looked at Licorice. She was right! "I, uh, don't know what to say, Kamil..."

"I'm not sure if you've been noticing my infatuation with you lately, but it grows more and more everyday."

"See, the thing is, I-"

"Yes?" Kamil's eyes were shining with hope. Licorice was also curious to what Akiko was going to say, though she had a vague guess.

"I just bought the seeds for my summer crops, so I'm going to be busy for the next little while preparing them. I just don't know when I'll even have the time to go on a date."

Her answer caught the other two off guard. _Wow, nice save_ , Licorice thought, sighing with relief.

"Oh," Kamil said quietly, before taking in a deep breath, "well, I guess that's not exactly a 'no.'"

A nervous smile grew on Akiko's face. _He's taking it better than expected_ , she thought.

He gently released her hand, keeping the confident smile on his face as he asked, "So, maybe a time when you won't be busy with work?"

"I guess it all depends," she replied, shrugging her shoulders, "I have a lot of new orders to fill with vendors, not just with my crops, but my milk, eggs, and wool, too."

"Then, I suppose I'll have to keep asking until you're free," Kamil stated with a flirtatious tone, making her blush.

 _Determined, isn't he?_ Licorice thought, slightly rolling her eyes.

Before anymore could be said, Kamil turned around and headed back towards the inn. _Don't worry, my precious flower_ , he thought, _I'll wait for the perfect time_.

"Sooo, what are you going to do when you _are_ free?" Licorice asked once Kamil was out of earshot, folding her arms.

"Well," Akiko sighed, "I'll just have to find another excuse." Both girls started giggling and made their way up the stone steps.

Suddenly, Akiko remembered the money Licorice had in her pocket.

"Are you just going to go give that to Raeger really quick?" she asked, trying to get out of Licorice's little plot.

"Ha! Nice try," her friend laughed, reaching into her pocket for the money, "we're still going. Aren't you a little hungry?"

Akiko felt her stomach rumbling.

"I guess a quick lunch couldn't hurt..."

In front of the restaurant, the reins of the horse was secured up to a post before the girls headed inside. There were a few customers already seated, all from the trade depot. The small roar of chatter filled the air. Looking passed the front counter, Raeger could be seen cooking in the kitchen. The girls helped themselves to a table in the back, away from the warm sunlight. Before they knew it, Raeger had served the waiting customers and made his way towards the table, pen and notepad in hand.

"Afternoon, ladies," he greeted them cheerfully. When he looked at Akiko, she couldn't help but blush and give him the sweetest smile. He felt a little more relaxed as he returned her sweet smile and flushing cheeks.

"Lunch rush already?" she asked in a sweet tone, which Licorice noticed she only uses for him.

"You know it," he replied with a similar tone, adding a wink, "but having you here makes it more enjoyable."

The tiny flirtatious tone sent a tingly feeling through her body and her eyes widened. She let out a small sigh as she stared deep into his emerald eyes.

 _A spark, huh?_ she thought, remembering Licorice's theory about their 'friendship.'

Licorice smiled with content as she watched them gaze at each other while their orders were being taken. Raeger then made his way back to the kitchen to get started and she looked at Akiko, who was still floating in the clouds.

She noticed the content grin and blushed as she played with the straw in her glass of water.

"Yeah, okay, I admit it," she whispered, still in slight denial, "I _guess_ I can feel a small spark..."

"Oh, is that so?" Licorice whispered back, trying not to giggle. "From where I'm sitting, that spark is only a few degrees away from being aflame."


	4. Reeling in the Romance, the Fishing Trip

**Chapter Four: Reeling in the Romance, the Fishing Trip  
**

A few weeks went by since the lunch in the restaurant at the beginning of the season. All the farmers were busy meeting the demands of their orders. The times Akiko did come down to the trade depot, Kamil was waiting at the stone steps to accompany her. Raeger still watched for her every morning, and a little sting came to his stomach when Kamil was by her side every time. He had no clue that Kamil was constantly bringing up a date with her. Day by day, she looked more and more exhausted, perhaps from taking on too many orders.

On this particular Sunday, Raeger decided to take a walk to the river. He stood on the stone bridge and stared into the deep, blue water, noticing the sad look on his face. It had been a few days since he saw her in town, and even longer since he had spoken to her. He missed her.

Her sweet voice, constantly echoing through his mind. Her catching smile, always flashing to thought at the most random moments. Her peachy skin, which he longed to caress, made it difficult to concentrate. His heart was aching to see her.

* * *

A few days earlier, Fritz came the restaurant to have a hearty meal, because he finally had money to afford it. He, too, was exhausted, trying to keep up with his animals and crops for his orders. Even though it wasn't as many as Akiko had, it was a lot to him.

He noticed that Raeger was not himself, and inquired what was wrong. Raeger could no longer hold it in. He confessed his ever growing love for Akiko to Fritz. Everything he felt, from the way his heart pounded when she spoke with him to the frustration he feels when he watches Kamil go with her to the trade depot. He also admitted that he never felt this way about anyone before, including past girlfriends.

For once, Fritz had a serious attitude. He told his chef friend that love can be intimidating, especially when it was true love.

"I know ya give 'hints' here n' there," Fritz began, "but if ya wanna beat Kamil at his own game, ya need to turn it up a notch!"

"Ugh," Raeger replied, leaning into his palm and staring out the window, feeling a little better after he finally told someone about his feelings, "turn what up a notch?"

"Uh, _HELLO_!" Fritz exclaimed, really surprised he didn't know. "The _flirtin'_! No more ' _hey, what's up girl_ ' flirtin'! I'm talkin' ' _I want ya to be mine_ ' flirtin'! Ya do know Kamil has already asked her out on a date, don't ya? He's gonna keep askin' until she says yes! Sweep her off her feet, show her that ya want her! Hints are gettin' ya _nowhere_!"

Raeger perked up a little. Fritz was right. He was just sitting here while Kamil was scoring more points. The game needed to be 'turned up a notch.'

* * *

Raeger was beginning to make his way back home, when he looked towards the mountain path. Some strange force was pulling him towards it. But, he's never even been to Akiko's farm. What if he lost his way? He was willing the take that chance. Deciding it was worth the risk, he headed. It was early enough, he'd have enough time to find his way home.

As he made his way through the rice and wheat public field, he could already feel the hot, summer air getting cooler as a welcoming breeze blew through his hair. A smile appeared on his face, even the atmosphere was just right. He continued further on, passing a fork in the road, one way which led to another public field, the other, further to her. Merely following the wooden signs, he turned down the way which avoided the public field. Then, another split in the path, this one having three choices. He went down the middle path, the sign marked it as Highland Farm Area.

He reached the top of the small hill and noticed a path leading west. Looking further down, he saw a small house, surrounded by flowers. It was most likely Eda's house. The land directly north of him had a large field and pasture. The roar of cattle and sheep could be heard as he took a few steps closer. He looked up and saw a large wooden archway. He could seen a large brown horse in the pasture after he officially entered. He knew he was where he wanted to be.

Walking up to the fence of the crop field, he could see Akiko on her knees, incorporating fertilizer in the dirt. A large grin appeared on his face, his heart fluttering. It was her. It was _really_ her!

"WELL, if it isn't my favorite person!" he shouted to her, keeping the large smile on his face.

Akiko looked up, confused at first. Her face lit up like a fire when she noticed who it was.

"RAEGER!" she shouted back. Without hesitation, she stood up, brushed off the dirt from her skirt, threw the gloves off of her hands, and ran towards him. With a little jump, she flung her arms around his neck.

As if it were second nature, he wrapped his arms around her waist and swung her around a couple times. He set her down, embracing each other closely for a moment before letting go. He didn't get many chances to have her this close, so he wanted to make the moment last. If only he knew that she did, too. When they finally pulled away, she gazed at him. The large grin couldn't leave her face.

"What are you doing here?" she asked with excitement. She never expected him to ever show up at the farm.

"I wanted to see my favorite person," he shrugged teasingly, "I missed her. A lot."

"Oh, you did?" Akiko blushed bright red, the tingly feeling developing. "It has been a while, hasn't it."

"You have no idea. You don't visit me anymore."

"I know! I'm so sorry! I've been super busy trying to get my orders ready for tomorrow."

"Well, do you have some spare time now?" he asked, turning on his charm. "For me?" He moved small strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear gently.

"For you, anytime."

Finding one of the largest trees on her property, they made themselves comfortable on its roots, under the cool shade. Sharing a few laughs and catching up on the last couple of weeks with each other, there was one question on Raeger's mind, but he was too nervous to ask. He was afraid of ruining this moment with her. He swallowed his fear, and decided to ask anyways.

"Word through the grape vine is you're going out with Kamil," he said, concealing his jealousy.

"What?! Who told you that?" she demanded as her face flustered again. She assumed it was Kamil spreading the rumor.

"Well, are you?" his tone and expression became more serious.

"No," she replied, looking down at her apron, "he's been bugging me for a date these last few weeks. He wants to go all the way to the city. I'm too busy for something like that."

"Would you if you weren't so busy?" he was afraid of the answer.

"I- I don't know," her tone became somewhat nervous, "he's been nothing but nice to me, the least I could do is go on _one_ date with him. I mean, it wouldn't hurt."

 _It would hurt me_ , he thought, trying to hide his feelings as he leaned the back of his head on the tree. He closed his eyes, feeling the cool breeze caress his cheeks.

"We need to see each other more," Akiko said quietly, looking up at the sky, "I miss you."

"Oh, yeah?" Raeger opened his eyes again, happy to hear that she missed him. "What do you suggest we do?"

"What would you like to do?" she asked, turning towards him, smiling sweetly, making him blush. He loved that smile.

"Hmmm, I do need to restock on my fish supply. We could go fishing."

"That sounds good! I haven't done that for a while. When?"

"I have Wednesdays off. Let's go then. Just meet me at the little pier behind the wheat field."

"Can we do it in the morning? Like 7?"

"That's the best time."

"Great! I'll be there!"

"Alright," Raeger rested against the tree again, placing his hands behind his head, getting more relaxed as he winked at her, "sounds like a _date_."

"Huh?!" Akiko's face became tomato red as she playfully shoved him, causing him to fall over, "It's not a date!"

"Better not tell Kamil. He'll get jealous."

"I said it's not a date!"

"I'll bring the wine."

"RAEGER!"

He burst out into laughter. Her pouty face was too cute to resist. She turned the other way with folded arms, ignoring him; clearly unamused. As he wiped a small tear from his eye, he saw an opening.

 _Take it up a notch._

Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to the ground with him, laughing.

"C'mon, it's funny!" he laughed, holding her tight as she struggled.

"Aaah!" she yelped, her heart racing, trying to get away. He was too strong for her. "Let me go!"

"Oh, alright," he gently released his grip. She was starting to sound angry. She went back to the cold shoulder treatment, facing away from him. He sat up and inched up behind her, pulling her back to his chest softly.

"I'm sorry for teasing," he whispered, "I'm just happy that I'll get to see you outside of the restaurant."

She said nothing. Her heart was beating too fast, she was afraid he could feel it against his chest. With that, she felt so secure with him, so she relaxed against him.

"Me too," she replied softly.

 _This spark_ , she thought, _it's growing bigger. I can feel it._

With her being so close, Raeger could smell her hair; coconut and lavender. The smell filled his nose as he took a deep breath, afraid that the pounding in his chest was becoming obvious.

 _Should I kiss her_? he thought. _No, I need to wait for the perfect moment. It's too soon now._ He turned towards her face as she gazed at the sky and looked at her lips. They looked so soft... and kissable.

They sat there for what seemed like forever, but Akiko had to break the precious moment. She needed to get back to work if her orders were going to be ready to ship out tomorrow. Raeger helped her up, staring into her eyes until she almost became eye level with him. She wasn't that much shorter than he was.

Embracing one more time, they said their goodbyes, both looking forward to Wednesday.

* * *

Wednesday morning, Akiko had finished all her work. She didn't have that many orders left, so it was easy to get done in a couple of hours. Making her way down the mountain train with a fishing pole in hand, she was excited. She never got a chance to be with Raeger alone. After Sunday, she enjoyed it more than usual. It was addicting the way he made her heart race as her body filled with that warm, tingly feeling.

Turning the corner towards the pier, Raeger was already there with his line cast out into the water. He heard her coming and turned back, greeting her with a smile.

"You're late," he said with a wink.

"I am not," she replied, casting out into the river. She looked behind him and noticed two baskets.

"I brought the wine," he teased. She gave him a pouty look, he couldn't hold his laughter. The basket was just filled with a couple of snacks.

A few hours went by, Raeger catching fish left and right while Akiko was lucky if she caught half as many as him.

"How are you so good at this?" she asked in frustration.

"I fished a lot when I was younger," he replied, reeling in another fish, "after my parents divorced."

She fell silent, remembering him telling her about his parents and upbringing the night he passed out on the floor. Before that, he never really opened up to her, and ever since then, they've only grown closer to one another. Without thinking, Akiko began talking about her hometown, which was more like a city. Her father died when she was young and her mother was mentally abusive, so she lived with her uncle since she was 10 years old, until she came to live in Oak Tree Town. She never had much friends growing up, always being taken advantage of. She stuck to her school work, and when she was 20, she saw an ad for a new farmer, and took her chance to get out. She had no desire of going back.

"I'm sorry about all that," Raeger said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "I would've never guessed. You're just so nice and sweet."

"I try," she replied softly, "I just wish someone was like that to me when I was younger. That's why I try so hard to be like that. I want to be the person who can make the tiniest difference in someone's day."

"You've made a huge difference in my life."

She turned towards him to find him gazing at her with a charming smile. She smiled back, a little pink filling up her cheeks. Then, she felt a hard tug on her pole.

"Whoa! I finally got one!" she shouted with excitement.

"Reel it in!" Raeger got excited, too.

Akiko tried with all her might, but couldn't get it to budge. Suddenly, she lost her footing on the wet board of the pier and fell forward into the river. Luckily, Raeger, grabbed her wrist and pulled her back, causing them to fall over.

"Ow," she groaned, pushing herself up from the ground, "I'm sorry, Raeger, I didn't-"

She was lying on top of him as he landed flat on his back. They stared at each other for a moment, both faces blushing, his more than hers. Both chests were pounding. The morning light made his emerald green eyes gleam perfectly, making it hard for her to resist gazing. Her widened purple eyes were like a dark ocean, and he was drowning. Moments passed before Raeger broke the trance.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Oh!" Akiko snapped back to reality. "Yes, how about you? I didn't hurt you did I?"

"Nah, but even if you did, it was worth it," he chuckled, making her smile.

They helped each other up and started heading back towards his restaurant, each carrying a basket. Sharing a few laughs, they inched closer and closer to each other along the way. He opened the door for her, following closely behind. After she dropped the heavy basket on the kitchen counter, she made her way to a chair and plopped down.

"Whew," she sighed, wiping a few drops of sweat from her forehead. It was much hotter down in the city compared to being up in the mountains. Noticing that he suddenly disappeared, she looked around for him. She never noticed how quiet his restaurant could be when it was closed. He then appeared back from the kitchen, carrying two glasses of ice water. He sat across from her at the same table, drinking almost half his glassed as she sipped away, staring at the two baskets of fish.

"That was pretty fun," he commented, looking back at her.

"Definitely," she nodded, "We should do it all the time."

"I can't go fishing everyday, silly."

"I know that, but what about every Wednesday? That way, I'm guaranteed to see you, even if we get busy."

Raeger smiled at the suggestion and finished his glass of water.

"You know, I have Sundays off, too."

"Are you saying you want to go fishing with me Wednesdays _and_ Sundays?" she smirked, trying her hand at teasing.

"Hmmm," he put his fist under his chin, pondering, "if it means I get to see my favorite person at least twice a week, I'd be more than happy to."

She looked away, blushing. _Am I really his favorite person?_ she thought.

After finishing her glass, she made her way home to get some other few things done. Raeger got to work on the fish, preparing it for tomorrow's meals, planning on making lunch specials. The warmth in his heart stayed with him, along with his smile. He kept thinking back to the moment when she was lying on him while he was on his back.

Akiko turned to go up the mountain path, looking back on Oak Tree Town, smiling brightly. The little spark she felt, it was now a tiny flame, warming her heart.


	5. On High Ends

**Chapter Five: On High Ends**

"He did what?!" Licorice exclaimed, almost dropping her binder of notes as a huge grin grew on her face, her eyes sparkling. Akiko told her what happened with Raeger; the fishing trip and his surprise visit to the farm. She was blushing through the entire story, standing in the shade of one of the trees at the orchard as she stared at the field of colorful flowers. They had already gone on two more fishing trips, and each time was better than the last.

"That's so romantic," Licorice sighed happily, giggling, trying to express her happiness for her best friend. Akiko couldn't resist smiling.

Akiko giggled. "We're still just _friends_ , silly!" She reassured. "We didn't do _anything_."

"Mmm hmmm," Licorice raised an eyebrow, unconvinced, "I wish you would stop denying it."

"I admitted that there was a spark, what more do you want from me? Besides, it would hurt Kamil."

"Excuse me?" Licorice was shocked. "Since _when_ did you care about Kamil like that?"

"Well," Akiko shrugged, "I guess I just enjoy his company. He's such a gentleman, and he's too sweet."

"Klaus is the real gentleman, if you ask me."

 _Klaus? She's never spoken of Klaus before!_

She decided not to pursue the subject. The girls finish up their work and headed to town. Akiko's orders were practically done, so she had plenty of free time. There was only one more week of summer, she wanted to enjoy what she could of it. Giggling as they made their way to town, her curiosity about Klaus couldn't subside.

"So, what do you think of Klaus?" Akiko asked as they entered Oak Tree Town.

"Klaus?" Licorice blushed, which she didn't do often. "Well, I find him quite handsome, but, I don't think he'd ever notice someone like me." Akiko agreed, Klaus wasn't even out much for him to notice anybody. He mostly stayed at home, or he was with Iris.

They walked into the inn and headed up to Licorice's room, where they continued the topic. Apparently, she had felt that way about Klaus since she first saw him, often fantasizing about going on a walk with him in the mountains. She admitted that dream was dying; she just never saw him anymore, and when she did, he acted so cold towards anyone, making it difficult to approach him. Akiko started to feel guilty, know that Fritz was the one who liked her. If only she'd give him a chance.

The conversation was interrupted with a knock at the door. Licorice answered the door, knowing who to expect.

"Hello, Kamil," she greeted mundanely and slightly annoyed, figuring he could hear Akiko through the thin walls of the inn.

"Licorice," he nodded, then looked over her shoulder, "Akiko, do you think we could talk?"

She looked up at her friend, who merely shrugged 'why not?' Helping herself up from the floor, she went with Kamil who led her outside to one of the many courtyards of Oak Tree Town.

"Lovely afternoon, isn't it?" he asked, feeling the breeze pass by them.

"Yeah, it is," Akiko agreed, "before we know it, it'll be fall."

"Crazy, this year seems to be speeding by. Before it rushes passed us, have you thought more about that date?"

"The date?" Akiko cringed. "I haven't actually."

"You're free, aren't you? You mentioned that you finished your orders for the season, so how about tonight?"

 _Damn it_ , Akiko thought, forgetting that she did happen to say that to the last time they were at the trade depot together. She sighed, what harm could _one_ date do?

"Tonight's good. Should I just meet you at the inn later?"

Kamil's face lit up like fireworks. "Actually, let's go right now," he insisted with excitement.

"Right now?!" she shouted, but before she could protest, he gently started pulling her by the arm. He called a cab, and there were in the city in just 90 minutes.

He took her to a quiet, but beautiful restaurant. She was feeling slightly uncomfortable, it felt so rushed, as if he had everything planned for a while. For once, they both had an actual conversation, talking about how he prefers Oak Tree Town compared to the city, which was only nice for occasions like dates. Asking him about how he felt about the growing number of vendors, she wanted to keep the conversation alive for it didn't involve constant flattery.

Their meals finally arrived, steaming hot. Akiko didn't realize how hungry she was as she dove right in, Kamil chuckling at her gluttonous nature. He found it cute. After a few bites, she slowed down, looking down at her plate with slight disappointment. It was nowhere near the quality of Raeger's food.

Kamil noticed her expression. "Is there something wrong with the food?" he asked with concern.

"No, no! It's great!" she reassured him, trying to act normal. Raeger was now on her mind, but he quickly left it when the conversation picked up again. The paid their bill and went for a quick stroll. Everything reminded her of the city she lived in with her uncle, and bad memories started coming up.

"Can we go somewhere else?" there was a sadness to her voice. Without question, Kamil led her to a park that had a little stream and plenty of flowers, which interested him. Picking up a few as they walked through, he made a tiny little bouquet and offered them to her. Smiling, she accepted them, but eventually tossed them aside when he wasn't looking; he never noticed. Soon, they came across a small wooden bridge, making a rest stop in the middle of it. She stared into the water, it wasn't as blue as it was in the mountains.

"Thank you so much for accepting my date," Kamil said softly as he stroked her cheek, making her cheeks pink.

"You're always so nice," she replied, keeping her eyes on the stream, "it was the least I could do."

"You could always do more."

She looked back at him, the statement he made caught her off guard. He was smiling, holding her cheek with his palm as his pale green eyes slowly started to close. The other hand gently grabbed her elbow and started pulling her closer. Her eyes widened, realizing that he was going to kiss her.

"Kamil," she whispered, causing him to stop, "I'm not ready-"

"Say no more," he whispered back, slowly pulling away, "I understand. I shouldn't have tried to rush things like that. I'm sorry." Holding out his arm to escort her, she grabbed it and they started heading back so they could head home.

Finally making it back, Akiko could already taste the difference in the air. She considered the city too be a dirty place, and had no desire to go back. To any city.

Walking back with Kamil towards the inn, Jonas was talking to some villagers in the middle of the plaza, looking stressed. He saw the two and hastily headed their way.

"What's wrong?" Kamil asked as Akiko let go of his arm.

"Miss Veronica is asking everyone to meet at the guild hall for an emergency town meeting," he replied, sounding nervous. Kamil looked at Akiko, concerned.

* * *

Many of the villagers were already in the guild hall, discussing with one another what the emergency could be. Akiko looked around to see who had made it there before her. She noticed Licorice sitting in the front, and Raeger a row behind her. She wanted to go sit with either of them, but the seats around them were full. Raeger happened to look back as he turned his head to talk to Fritz, who was sitting next him, and noticed her standing next to Kamil.

"Everyone, please take a seat," Veronica announced as she appeared from upstairs with Angela, "it looks like everyone's here, so I'll get started."

The roar of chatter quickly dulled. Akiko just took a seat in the back, Kamil sitting next to her. Veronica made her way to the front, very distressed.

"I've just received a report from one of the neighboring cities," she began, "there's an escaped convict, he's considered armed and very dangerous. They fear he will make his way to crowded places, which could mean the trade depot."

"How dangerous are we talkin'?" Fritz shouted out, a question that was on everyone's mind.

"He's been charged with sexual assault many times, among worse things," Veronica replied sternly. The room began bustling with worried statements.

"How likely is he to show up here?"

"Where was he last seen?"

"We need to hire more policeman!"

"PEOPLE, please!" Veronica shouted. "I know this is very concerning, Oak Tree Town has never had to deal with a criminal like this, which is why I called this meeting. I have hired more policeman, and they will be at the trade depot everyday, since that is the only way in and out of town. His wanted poster will be posted all over the town." She unrolled a large poster with the man's mugshot.

Some people from the back stood up to get a better look. He had pale eyes, too pale to distinguish a color, tan skin, long, blonde hair, and a thick beard.

"The man is about 38 years of age," Veronica stated, reading the statistics from the poster, "standing at 6'3" he weighs about 240lbs."

The room fell silent.

"Business owners," she called out, "I want these posters at the very entrance of your establishment. Oak Tree Town will be on high alert until we hear that he is caught. We want absolutely NO victims!"

The meeting ended, some people volunteered to spread the posters all over town. Everyone was handed a few as people started to flow out from the building. Akiko and Licorice were among the first people out, both sharing concern about this new information. Trying to lighten the mood, Licorice asked her date with Kamil went.

Akiko told her about the restaurant and the park, adding in that he tried to kiss her, but she denied him. She mostly did it hoping that now, he'll stop asking, but now she feared she might've made things worse. Licorice added in that she told Fritz, who blurted it out to Raeger.

"HE WHAT?!" Akiko shouted, catching the attention of a few people passing by. She covered her mouth instantly. Before she could start lecturing her, Raeger walked up to her.

"I heard you went a date with Kamil," he said, his expression neutral, from trying to hide his feelings.

Akiko nodded. "Yeah, I did. We just got back right before the meeting."

"Congratulations," he replied without hesitation, heading back to his restaurant. Before he made it to far, he turned back.

"By the way, I have too many errands tomorrow," the next day being Sunday, "I won't be able to go."

Akiko clenched her fingers. "Oh, okay." He continued on his way back to the restaurant, his head lowered.

Licorice looked at Akiko's face; she looked like she was ready to cry. She never wanted to hurt Raeger, thinking the date was harmless. Instant regret filled her heart, then felt an arm around her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" it was Kamil. He didn't know Raeger had just spoke to her and he was too far away for him to get a clue.

"Nothing," Akiko replied sternly, shrugging his arm off her, "I just need to go home."

"I'll walk you back," Kamil offered, concerned with her safety.

"I can get back fine," Akiko shook her head, her voice sounding shaky.

"I'll go with her," Licorice said calmly, wrapping her arm around her friend. Before she could let Kamil protest, she started guiding Akiko home.

* * *

Entering Akiko's home, Licorice sat her down on her bed, she could feel her shoulders shaking.

"What's wrong?" she asked quietly.

"I- I didn't," Akiko began sobbing, "I didn't know- I didn't think it would hurt!"

Licorice knew what she was talking about. She hugged her friend, letting her cry on her shoulder.

 _You thought a harmless date would do nothing_ , she thought. _I didn't think Raeger felt so strongly about you... what are you going to do now?_

* * *

Entering his restaurant, it seemed darker than usual as the setting sun was beginning to dim. He tossed his keys onto the front desk as he untied his tie, setting the flyers on a table. He could feel his heart aching as he carried his heavy feet up the stairs to his room. About halfway up, he sat down on the wooden steps and collapsed his face into his hands.

 _I lost_ , he thought, _Kamil won... I've lost her._


	6. The Gentle Wolf, Rekindling the Flame

**Chapter Six: The Gentle Wolf, Rekindling the Flame  
**

The crisp air of fall rolled in, the business of the trade depot beginning once again. Fall was a bit more demanding for crops with winter following directly behind it. Security stood at the gates that let all of the vendors and tourists into town and at the entrance to Oak Tree Town, keeping eyes and ears open for the convict who had yet to be caught. Tourists weren't as on edge as the townsfolk, who started to examine every new person they met at the depot. From the reports Veronica received, he had been spotted in random cities, some even claiming that he'd do what he could to change his appearance.

Mornings now had a biting chill in the air, forcing warmer clothing to be worn. Akiko changed from her summer garb to a red skirt with scarlet lace at the trim and a red blouse with sleeves stopping at her elbows, finishing off with a black bow sash that matched her thick black stockings to help keep her legs warm. She changed her hair from ringlets to letting it all down, clipping two strands of hair to the back; the thickness of her hair would help keep her neck and face warm. All these nice clothes were made by her and Licorice, when they had the time, sometimes selling them at the depot.

It had been nine days since the town had their emergency meeting. Nine days since Raeger had seen or spoke to Akiko. He no longer looked for her out his window to see her, for the sight of her and Kamil together hurt. She never had a chance to go to the restaurant to talk to him, even before it got busy again, because Kamil was under the impression that he finally won her heart and wouldn't leave her be, and because he was afraid of her chancing by the convict.

Akiko missed Raeger, and the only thing that came to mind when she thought of him was his face when he congratulated her on her date with Kamil. Most nights, she stood by her phone, trying to muster the strength to call him. She was afraid he wouldn't answer, or maybe avoid any kind of conversation. Her biggest fear was discovering if he had moved on and found another interest. Licorice was always trying to cheer her up, telling her that Raeger still thought about her, as well, according to Fritz. The only good thing she took out of that was that she was now starting to talk to Fritz, but she wondered if it was true, or a white lie.

In a way, it was true. Raeger was trying to move on, being under the impression that she had made her romantic choice. No matter what he tried, she constantly ran through his mind, day and night, keeping him up some nights. Ironically, he, too, paced back and forth in his room before bed, questioning if calling her would help. He explored the idea of just being friends with her, but how could he with those deep eyes of hers? That smile she had always made him fall deeper for her. Friendship was out of the question.

He had to accept that no matter what, even if she ended up marrying Kamil, she would always take a big place in his heart.

* * *

On the second day of fall, Akiko arose early, taking a stroll to town. She didn't take as many orders this season; she made plenty of money from summer to last her until springtime. Taking in the beauty of the foliage, she felt a little cheer for the first time since the town meeting. Making her way to the Piedmont riverside, so stood on the wooden pier, looking over the river. This was were she had her third, and hopefully not last, fishing trip with Raeger.

The smile quickly disappeared as she sighed, seeing a small mist of her breath. She was wishing that he was right next to her, fishing, or even just being there with her. Shaking her head, she tried to forget the thought, thinking that he probably didn't even want to see her.

 _Funny,_ she thought. _I chose this outfit, trying to look pretty for him... he probably won't even see it._

She turned around to head towards town; perhaps shopping at the trade depot would get her mind off of all this drama. The moment she did, she almost ran right into someone, who was walking in her direction, and let out a loud scream.

"AAAH!" whoever it was, it truly terrified her. She didn't hear anybody walking behind her, and it was still early, most of the townsfolk were still sleeping.

When she finally caught her breath, she looked up. It was Klaus, his cheeks red from the chilling breeze.

"You really shouldn't holler like that," he scolded, "if anyone heard you, it would've caused distress, with all this fuss about a sexual offender on the loose."

"That's exactly who I thought you were!" she tried to tone down her voice, her heart still pounding from the scare. "You shouldn't be sneaking up on people like that!"

"You're right," he apologized with a tiny smile, "I shouldn't be so sneaky, especially with everybody being on high alert. I guess I felt like a wolf watching his prey."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded, still unamused. If he was flirting, she wanted nothing of it.

"Merely a metaphor," he explained as he glanced at her cheeks, "aren't you cold? Don't you have a jacket?"

"I do feel cold," she replied softly, looking at the ground, "I came here to- to think, I guess." She didn't want to talk about her drama, Klaus was known to be a gossiper, or at least his friend Iris was.

"Would you like to a cup of hot tea?" he offered. "I think I have something that will keep you warm while you're out."

Akiko simply nodded, realizing that it was a little cold to be out without a jacket or scarf. Klaus escorted her back to his home in western Oak Tree.

He opened the door, insisting she enter first. Spicy, warm aromas welcomed her inside, probably from his work as a perfumer. Taking a quick glance around, he had high end furniture made of beautifully stained wood and foreign rugs and table clothes, most likely from the newer vendors. In the other room, he had many different flowers and other natural objects, which he used for his work.

"Please, sit," Klaus insisted, pulling out a chair at the table for her. Sitting down, she could already feel her body warming up. As he was busy in the kitchen getting the hot water and cups, he decided to start a conversation, to avoid an awkward silence.

"What were you doing by the river this morning?" he asked curiously. "With all the commotion, you really shouldn't be wandering about by yourself. It's foolish."

"I already told you," she replied, sounding slightly unfriendly, "I needed to think."

"Think about what?"

"There's... there's been a lot going on lately."

"Hmm? Does it have something to do with Kamil?"

How did he know about Kamil?

"Uhm, a little bit... why?"

"I saw you two together at the town meeting last week, I also heard about the date. Sounds like fun."

He placed the cup of hot tea in front of her, noticing her looking down, clenching her skirt.

"I'm sorry if I struck a nerve," he said with slight concern.

"No, it's fine," she lied. He did hit the tender subject, but she didn't want to just empty out all her feelings to him. It's not like they were friends.

Klaus took a seat in the chair closest to her, blowing on his tea.

"Have you tried discussing your problems with him?" he asked while stirring in a cube of sugar.

"Not exactly," she replied with slight hesitation, "he's been out of town these last few days, making flower arrangements for a wedding. He won't be back for another three or four days."

"I see, what about the other one?"

"Other one?"

"Several of us saw the ruckus that happened outside of the guild hall last week with that chef."

Akiko gulped, she felt embarrassed. He probably meant him and Iris, maybe even Mistel. She probably even embarrassed Licorice.

"I'm sorry about that," she said quietly, sipping her tea.

"Have you spoken to him? He didn't look too pleased."

"I- I don't know what to say to him yet."

"Now would be a great time, considering Kamil is out of town."

He was right. When he returned, she might not ever get a chance. She finished her tea, and was ready to go. Klaus gave a red, trench coat style jacket. It matched her outfit perfectly. Thanking him, she headed towards Raeger's restaurant, her heart racing, a feeling she missed. He watched her until she turned around the corner, thinking he should've escorted her like a gentleman, but figured now wasn't the best time.

 _Licorice is going to kill me_ , she thought. She shrugged it off and began to pick up her pace, building up the excitement.

* * *

Raeger was lying in bed, with no desire to get up. He didn't really have to, it was Wednesday, his day off. He stared at his ceiling, feeling the chill in the air from leaving the window cracked open overnight; he enjoyed the crisp chill. Looking over at the clock on the wall, he decided he might as well get dressed. It was only about 9:30 am.

He put on a casual green button up shirt, rolling up the cuffs of the sleeves to his elbows, as he did with most of his shirts, with brown slacks. Not really having any plans for the day, he didn't dress for anything in particular. He recently spent most of his days off at home or with Fritz, so nothing special happened. Sometimes, he wanted to head down to the pier, thinking Akiko would be waiting for him, but those days were over.

As he finished combing his hair, he heard a knock at the door.

 _Maybe Fritz is going to drag me out of the house today_ , he thought. He hadn't gone out much since last week, even after he was off work.

Quickly pacing down the stairs, he was in front of the door. Not thinking to even check who it was, he swung it wide open. He stood there, wide-eyed and stunned.

Akiko was holding herself up by supporting her upper body with her arms, which were holding onto her knees. She was out of breath, she ran most of the way there. Looking up at Raeger, she smiled, but was also confused at his expression. The fear of him slamming the door in her face began to grow. Maybe this was a mistake.

"Akiko," he spoke quietly, "what are you doing here?" Deep down, he didn't know how to feel about seeing her here, right in front of him.

"I- came- to see you," she replied, still catching her breath.

Raeger's cheeks turned pink, not from the cold, but from the warm feeling he hadn't felt for about two weeks. She really came down here this early just to see him?

"Oh," he replied, scratching the back of his head, still blushing, "did you, uh, want to come in? It's cold out here."

Akiko nodded as she stood back up. When she entered, she rested on the nearest chair. Raeger leaned up against the counter, just staring at her. His fists clenched, thinking she was here to tell him something about Kamil. As the negative thoughts came to mind, he took notice to her new fall outfit, swallowing a hard lump stuck in throat. She looked as beautiful as ever, his heart fluttered. He began playing with the collar of his shirt, trying to distract himself.

She looked up at him with her catching smile, excited that he was in the same room with her again.

"Would you like to go to the trade depot with me?" she asked in her Raeger-exclusive tone.

"What about Kamil?" he asked sternly.

"I want _you_ to go with me."

"Why?"

Akiko was starting to feeling some tension. He never questioned her why she wanted his company before. Why now? Was it because he thought Kamil was her boyfriend now? She stood up from her chair and approached him, staring into his emerald eyes. The sadness in them was eminent, she now understood.

"I want you to spend time with me," she replied, returning to her normal tone, "I miss you. You haven't talk talked to me for a while."

"I thought- you know," Raeger blushed, "You and Kamil-"

"We went on _ONE_ date, Raeger. I don't know why I agreed to go, but I did. He's not my boyfriend or anything."

"He sure acts like it, though, and you're not exactly fighting to get away from him."

 _Why is he acting like this?_ she thought as guilt filled her heart. Before she said anything else, she embraced him, leaning against him as he leaned against the counter. Holding him tight, she felt him wrap his arms around her, returning her embrace. He couldn't resist.

"I was trying to just stay friends with him," she finally responded, moments into the embrace, holding back tears, "I finally said yes to a date because I thought it would make that tension go away. I was wrong, it made it worse. I wish with all my heart that I never went."

Raeger pulled away gently, looking at her sweet face. He wiped the small tear that streamed from her eye with his thumb and smiled. He couldn't change the past and the choice she made, but now he knew that his chance was still there.

"You still want to go to the trade depot?" he asked, winking.

"Only if you go with me," she replied, the smile returning to her face, " _you_ , and only _you_."

"I'll grab my jacket," he replied.

* * *

Making their way to the depot, both had questions that needed answering, but at the moment, all they wanted was the company of one another. The answers can always come later.

To no surprise, the depot was bustling with many people. Akiko held Raeger's arm tightly as he kept her close, not wanting to lose her so soon. Stopping by many booths, eagerly looking through all the items. They only wished they could buy more time together.

Being fall, the sunset came earlier. Raeger bought Akiko a scarf, but he was going to wait to give it to her, perhaps when he walked her home. As she was busy looking some upcoming tools for the following year, he noticed Veronica talking with a few of the security guards at the entrance gate. He nudged Akiko, letting her know to wait for him, she nodded.

"Veronica, any news?" Raeger asked as she approached her. The security guards had barely walked back to their posts.

"I'm afraid so," she responded, trying to keep her voice down, "he's been spotted in several cities these past few weeks. One not too far from here."

"Are you going to announce it?"

"No, everyone is still on high alert, so I'm sure we'll see him if he decides to come here."

Veronica sighed as a worried look formed on her face.

"I just can't imagine if he were to hurt someone close to me," she said with her head down, "like my daughter, Angela."

"I know how you feel," Raeger responded, looking back to Akiko, who was now finished browsing, now looking for him.

"Everything will be fine," Veronica called out as he walked away.

When Akiko caught sight of him, so almost skipped to him, capturing him with that smile before asking if he was ready to go. They had been there for hours. He agreed, and insisted he take her home.

Walking up the stone steps out of the trade depot, Raeger grabbed her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers. He got nervous, in case she would pull away, but she never did. She didn't even flinch. He could feel his heart ready to burst through his chest.

As they made their way up the mountain path, he was discussing with her about the convict.

"Raeger, I'm sure I'll be fine," she said, after listening to his worries, squeezing his hand a little to comfort him.

"I know, I know," he responded by squeezing back, "but I do worry. You're all the way up here. Anyone could follow you easily, and you don't exactly have neighbors."

"I have Eda!"

"Eda won't be able to help you if something were to happen."

"You're right. Well, if you're that worried, call me if you want."

"Heh, I might be calling you every night."

"That's okay with me, if it makes you feel better. If something did happen, I'll make sure to call you first."

"After you call the police?"

"Yes!"

They reached her farm. Her crop field wasn't as full as it was during the summer and the pasture was empty. He walked her up to her front door, then turned to face her.

"See?" she taunted. "Safe and sound."

He placed his hands on her shoulders and responded, "Good to know."

She began to lose herself in his gem-like eyes, but then he started to pull her close, closing his eyes with his lips barely parted.

 _This is it!_ she thought, her heart racing as she closed her eyes, welcoming it. She could almost feel his lips touch hers, but at the last second, he lifted up his head and planted a large kiss on her forehead with a loud "MUAH!" Her face turned bright red.

"RAEGER!" she exclaimed. "Don't tease me like that!"

"Why not?" he asked, laughing. "It's fun!"

He pulled out the scarf from one of his large pockets, flung it around her waist and yanked her towards him, causing her to fall into him. Part of his plan, he caught her, still laughing. She looked up at his face, a little frustrated at first, but with his large smile and laughter, it melted into a smile. She started to laugh with him. When he finally let her go, he handed her the scarf. It was black, very soft, and went well with her new jacket.

"What is this?" she asked, blushing.

"It's a scarf, silly," he rolled his eyes playfully. Taking it back from her, he gently wrapped it around her neck. "I bought it for you when you were too busy to notice earlier."

"You didn't have to," she said, blushing as he tucked the scarf around her.

"Yes, I did."

He gave her one last embrace before she went inside and he headed back for home.

* * *

Later that evening, Akiko was getting ready for bed. She changed into some warm pajama pants and a t-shirt, brushed her hair and teeth, then crawled into bed. As she was looking at her calendar for upcoming events, her phone rang. Who could be calling her at this hour?

"Hello?" she answered, putting the calendar down.

"Hey, there. Sorry I have the wrong number." It was Raeger. She was confused, maybe he was playing a game.

"Oh, you do?" She decided to play along.

"Yeah, I'm supposed to be calling this beautiful girl with purples eyes and chocolate hair."

"Well, I have purple eyes and chocolate hair."

"Are you beautiful, too?"

"Hmmm, I don't think so. You must have the wrong number."

"You must be her, you sound beautiful, and you have her voice."

Akiko giggled, he was such a tease. She was glad he was back to his normal self. They didn't stay on for long, they both needed to get sleep for the next day. She turned over in her bed, hugging her pillow as she thought of him, falling asleep with a smile on her face.

Forgetting all about Kamil's return in just a few days time.


	7. Warm Before the Storm

_I want to apologize in advance for this chapter having SO much dialogue!_

 _Hahaha!_

 _Also, thank you all for you're supporting reviews and PMs! It makes me so happy to read them!_

 _Keep them coming!_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter Seven: Warm Before the Storm  
**

"I have so much to tell you!"

"I'm on my way! Keep you cows in the barn."

"Don't you mean hold your horses?"

"You know what I mean!"

Licorice hung up the phone, grabbing her shoes. Akiko had called her late that morning with an excited tone, claiming she had much to tell her about the previous day. She didn't want to give away any details, leaving Licorice in the dark. As she headed out the inn, her stomach grumbled.

 _Urgh, I should grab a quick bite_ , she thought, turning on her heel towards the restaurant, which had just barely opened for the day.

"Morning, Raeger," she greeted hastily, hustling herself inside. "Listen, I need a something, fast."

"No problem," he responded rather cheerfully. Licorice noticed his unusually cheery mood as she pulled out her money.

"Blueberry muffin, please," she requested, looking at him suspiciously. He was humming a cheery tune, smiling as he grabbed her a fresh blueberry muffin. Handing it to her as he accepted the payment, she couldn't help herself.

"You're in a _very_ good mood this morning," she stated, trying to conceal her prying nature.

"If only you knew," he responded, shrugging his shoulders, throwing a towel over his shoulder. Licorice started to get a little worried. What if he found a new love interest? Was he still convinced that Akiko and Kamil were a couple?

"Alright, I'll bite," she needed to know, "what happened? Did you meet someone?"

"Haha!" he guffawed. "I meet new people everyday, but no. This feeling is from hope being restored."

 _Hope?_ she thought, very confused. _What the hell is he talking about?_ She didn't want to pry deeper, fearing he might catch on. Perhaps Akiko would know what was going on.

"Well, thanks," she called out as she left the restaurant. _He's so odd sometimes._ She was about to head towards the mountain path when she noticed a tall man walk up from the stone steps that led to the trade depot. It was Klaus. He noticed her and smiled, making it hard for her to breath.

"Good morning," he greeted, "where's a young lady like you head this gorgeous morning?"

"Uhm," she was stunned, "Up to the orchard." She unintentionally lied.

"Oh, that far? It could be dangerous."

"Yeah, I guess..."

She decided to make a move, taking advantage of his chivalry.

"Would you mind going with me?" she asked, blushing slightly. "To the orchard, I mean."

"Of course," he replied, almost happy she asked.

To make small talk on the way up, Klaus would mention things like the bite in the air and the colorful foliage. Licorice would give small responses sheepishly; she never thought he'd actually go with her. It was like a dream come true. They were about to reach the fork in road where the orchard was located. Even though she knew she was going to Akiko's, she didn't think it would matter asking him to escort her to the orchard; they were practically next door.

"By the way," Klaus started, just as they reached the designated road, "does Akiko like the jacket?"

"O-oh, yeah," Licorice hesitated, "she loves it!" _What jacket is he talking about?_

"Oh, good," he responded with relief, "I was hoping it was her size. A good friend of mine left it behind when she came to visit some time ago. She had no desire to have it back, so I kept it. I'm glad I did."

"A good friend? A girlfriend, maybe?" Licorice teased, in actuality, she wanted to know.

"Hardly," he replied with a small chuckle, "I believe this is your stop, m'lady." Grabbing her hand, he kissed the back of it before turning around to head back to town.

"Thank you," she replied quietly, her heart skipped a beat when his lips touched her skin.

"If you need an escort back, don't hesitate to call me," Klaus called back, then continued on his way home. This made Licorice's face glow red.

When Klaus was out of sight, Licorice skipped to the front door, knocking in a harmonious tune, skipping inside when she answered the door. Akiko laughed as she watched her spinning and dancing around.

"What's with you?" Akiko asked, trying not to laugh.

"Oh, nothing," Licorice replied in a heavenly tone, "I've just been sent to heaven." When she stopped for a moment, she noticed a red jacket hanging over a chair in the corner. Could it be the one Klaus spoke of?

"Hey, where did you get that?" she pointed, her heavenly tone disappearing.

"Oh, Klaus gave it to me," Akiko responded.

The two girls got comfortable at the table, both with a hot cup of cocoa. Akiko told Licorice about Klaus; the tea, the advice, the jacket, everything. This made her a little more comfortable, being afraid that Klaus was starting to take an interest in her as well, as if she didn't have enough men after her already. She then told the romantic tale of Raeger, and the trip to the trade depot, blushing as she described the trip home and sighing as she revisited the memory of the 'almost-kiss.'

Licorice was getting giddy with all the 'mooshy-ness,' as she described it. She proclaimed her happiness for her.

"Well, that at least explains a lot," Licorice stated before taking a slow sip of cocoa.

"Explains what?" Akiko asked, a little concerned.

"I stopped by the restaurant this morning for a muffin and Raeger was in an unusually happy mood. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was walking on air."

Akiko giggled, bringing her hot mug closer to breath in the delicious aroma, warming her fingers. It made her happy to know that Raeger was in a good mood because of her. She started blushing from thinking of him. No one has ever made her feel this way. For the first time in her life, she wanted to say it was love.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Licorice asked, bringing Akiko back to earth.

"I don't know," Akiko shrugged, smiling, "I'm thinking, maybe we should nudge this further."

"Well, that's obvious! You two are getting too close to stay friends, but I was talking about Kamil."

"Oh, right. I almost forgot..."

"You can't let him keep thinking that there's something there. The longer you wait, the more it will hurt him."

"I know, I know! I'll tell him when he gets back from his trip."

"When will that be? Soon, I hope."

"Tomorrow night. I'll tell him tomorrow."

There was no doubt, she was a little afraid of telling Kamil that she was just not interested in a relationship with him. He had been trying so hard for so long to win her affection. Granted, she did keep denying him, but she still felt guilty. Licorice took notice to the worried look on her face.

"Don't worry," she reassured, "I'm sure he'll- it will be fine."

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the inn...

Lillie and her younger sister, Melanie, were helping out around the inn, mostly cleaning the entrance. Lillie didn't get much time off, and when she did, she liked to lend a hand around the family business.

"When do you think Licorice will be back?" Melanie asked. She enjoyed the botanist's company.

"Not for a while," Lillie responded, sweeping up the dirt into a dustpan, "she went to visit Akiko."

The sisters finished cleaning, then one of Lillie's closest friends walked in, Elise. She was wearing the fanciest clothing to show off her fall fashion sense, which was a little too extreme.

"Lillie!" Elise exclaimed in a fancy tone. "It's been ages!" She gave her a tight hug.

"Ooof, hello, Elise," Lillie was gasping for breath, "I just saw you yesterday for tea, remember?"

"I know," she released her tight grip, "but it's far too long for us two fabulous gals to be apart!"

Taking a seat at one of the tables, Elise began to complain about how hard it was to have a weather girl as a friend because she was constantly in the city. Lillie laughed nervously, it was in her nature to complain about anything that involved actual work. Melanie used looked up to Elise, always saying she wants to be as beautiful as she is, but lately, her role model had been Licorice, which made Lillie happy. She loved Elise, but didn't consider her a good role model for her younger sibling.

The little trio had just started their daily gossiping when Lillie heard someone enter the inn. With a quick pardon, she got up from the table to greet the entering guest, followed by Elise, who needed to be the center of attention at all times. Melanie decided to head up to her room to play; she didn't like taking care of customers.

"Welcome to the- oh! Welcome back!"

Kamil set down his suitcase as he brushed off a little dirt from his blazer. He had returned one day earlier than expected.

"Thank you, Lillie," he replied happily, "I didn't expect to return home on such a cold day. Oh, hello, Elise, how are you?"

"I'm fine," Elise replied, flipping her golden hair, still unhappy that her attention had been averted.

"That's good to hear," he replied with a smile.

"You're awfully happy," Elise said, trying to find a new 'scoop' for her gossiping.

"I am," he replied, starting to head towards the stairs, "I'm going to surprise Akiko at the trade depot tomorrow. She won't be expecting me until tomorrow night."

"Oooh, I see," Elise perked up. She had heard rumors about Akiko and Raeger getting really close the day prior. Some people saw them holding hands as they walked home, one of them being Iris, the gossip queen, who, of course, told Elise. "I'm sure she'll be quite surprised."

Lillie felt a little uncomfortable. She also heard the rumor, not feeling right about not telling Kamil.

"Uhm, listen, Kamil," Lillie softly said, causing Kamil to stop in the middle of the stairs, turning back towards her.

"Is something wrong, Lillie?" he asked.

"You see, the thing is, Akiko might not be so excited to see you."

"What? _Why_? What's going on?"

Elise felt chills go up her spine. _What are you doing, Lille?!_ she thought.

"Well," Lillie continued, "Akiko has been getting rather close to-"

"CLOSE TO going crazy!" Elise interrupted, budging her way in between Lillie and Kamil, laughing nervously. "She's been missing you like crazy! She won't be excited to see you, she'll be thrilled!"

"OH!" Kamil exclaimed, blushing a little, happy that Akiko's feelings were starting to grow for him. "That's- that's great to hear. It will make the surprise even more special tomorrow!"

"Oh, she'll definitely be surprised," Elise replied with a wicked smile smearing across her face.

"Thanks for telling me, Lillie!" he was excited as he headed back up to his room.

Lillie placed her arms on her hips and gave Elise a crusty look. Elise turned to look at her friend with pride.

"Why did you say that?!" Lillie got angry. "For all we know, Akiko will be with Raeger at the depot! Why are you trying to cause to much mischief? That wasn't a very nice thing to do!"

"It's all good fun," Elise replied, still proud of herself, "besides, that little farm girl will get what she deserves."

Elise had never liked Akiko, from the minute she stepped foot in Oak Tree Town. She was jealous of her as she watched Akiko's popularity grow, her innocent beauty and charm swept the town off its feet. People were stunned when she single handedly brought up the town's economy in just under a year. Of course, Elise wanted to be the most popular and most loved farm girl (if you can consider Elise a 'farm girl'), but Akiko held the title. It also didn't help that Elise had the biggest crush on Kamil.

"She's never done anything to you," Lillie stated, still upset. Akiko _was_ her friend, too.

"What?! Yes she has!" Elise exclaimed with an over exaggerated tone. "She took away my fame and my man!"

Lillie rolled her eyes; she couldn't believe she was friends with a little devil like Elise.

* * *

Back at the farm...

Akiko and Licorice were laughing it up, telling jokes and reminiscing funny memories, such as the time Akiko picked an apple from the orchard, only to discover there was a bee on it. Panicking, she tossed the apple away from her with a shriek, accidentally hitting Licorice in the back of the head; the day they first met, and also Akiko's favorite tale of their friendship.

Licorice's favorite story was when she scared Akiko with a stag beetle by placing in on her watering can.

"That really scared me!" Akiko laughed.

"You're face was the best!" Licorice made an impression of her terrified face.

"I don't look like that!"

"When there's a beetle on your can, it is!"

Their laughter was interrupted by the ringing of Akiko's phone. She walked over to it, trying to suppress her laughing enough to speak. She hushed at Licorice as she picked up the phone, covering the receiver.

"Hello?" there was still a slight laugh in her voice.

"Sounds like you're having fun," Raeger stated on the other line.

"Sure am. Shouldn't you be working, slacker?" Akiko teased.

"I'm permitted a break, aren't I?"

"Nope, back to work, kitchen slave!" This made Raeger laugh. He often said he felt like a slave in his own kitchen, especially when it was busy.

"You think you're so funny. Listen, want to meet me at the trade depot tomorrow? I want to see you before I open."

"Yeah, that would be great." She blushed, twirling the phone cord around her finger, giving it away to Licorice who she was on the phone with.

"Tell him!" Licorice loudly whispered. Akiko shook her head 'no,' she was too nervous.

"Is everything okay?" Raeger asked, questioning the long silence.

"Yes! Everything's fine... but, I do miss you." Raeger blushed on the the other line.

"I miss you, too... you're making my knees weak. How am I supposed to go back to work?"

"Oh, I'm sorry." Her tone changed, becoming slightly sensual. "Want me to rub them better?"

"What?" Raeger was surprised at her tone. A wave of flutters was sent through his body. "Better stop talking like that."

"Or what?" she continued teasing him with the tone, forgetting Licorice was there.

"Or I'll come get you," he responded, returning the tone, sending the same wave through her body.

"AHEM!" Licorce burst out, embarrassing Akiko.

"OH! Uhm, I'll meet you at the depot tomorrow! Same time?"

"Always."

Akiko hung up the phone, her face burning red. She turned back to Licorice, who was laughing hysterically in her chair.

At the restaurant, Raeger hung up the phone, wiping a small drop of sweat from his forehead. He never expected that kind of behavior from sweet, little Akiko, and he liked it.


	8. The Confrontation

**Chapter Eight: The Confrontation**

 _Akiko should be there by now_ , Kamil thought as he put on his purple blazer, straightening up. He was planning on surprising Akiko at the trade depot with his early arrival, and he was also hoping to convince her to go on another date with him. This morning seemed like the perfect time to ask. Every time he was with her, he felt like walking on air. He knew she didn't exactly feel that way about him, but he was determined to get her there.

Walking quietly out of his room, he headed down the stairs, feeling like a million bucks. There was nothing that could erase the large grin on his face. As he turned the door knob of the entrance to the inn, he heard a small voice call to him from the front desk.

"Kamil, wait!" Lillie called out desperately, afraid she'd miss him out the door. Kamil's smile failed to disappear, despite the hasty tone.

"Lillie!" his happiness just kept growing. "What can I do for you this morning.

"I- I need to talk to you," she muttered as she approached him. The guilt she felt from the previous day's conversation was overbearing. She liked to gossip, but she didn't enjoy hurting other people, especially her friends, like Akiko.

Kamil closed the door, now feeling slightly concerned. "What is it, Lillie?" he asked.

"It's about Akiko," she started, looking ashamed of herself.

* * *

Most of the vendors at the depot were having major sales on their merchandise, attracting many customers. It was almost as busy as the beginning of a new season. Almost every trading country was there with crowded booths.

Raeger spotted Akiko at the Silk Country booth, inspecting some of the trinkets on display. Creeping up on her from behind, he wrapped his arms around her waist, startling her.

"Surprise," he whispered in her ear, his warm breath melting her cold skin, sending chills down her spine. Instead of struggling, she welcomed his embrace, placing her hand on top his which rested on her stomach.

"Hey, you," she replied softly, setting down the item she was inspecting. "Why'd you want to meet me here?"

"I adore spending time with you, so I thought we could squeeze in some time before I opened up."

"Oh, really? Why do you 'adore' my company so much?"

"There are many reasons, but mostly because you put me in a good mood, so I wanted to start my day with you."

"I thought it was because you took pleasure in teasing me."

"There's that, too. I can't help myself. I just love seeing your cute face turn red. By the way, you look ravishing today."

"No more than usual," she replied modestly, she never tried to 'doll up' for any reason. "I always look like this."

"I know, but you're always beautiful to me," he commented, letting her go so she could face him. He smiled at her face and stroked her cold, red cheeks with the back of his fingers, still slightly warm from only being outside for a few moments.

Akiko blushed, pressing his hand between her face and her hand; she loved his warmth.

"Well, I'm done looking over here," she said, letting go of his hand, "did you want to come to the Sakura booth with me?"

"I'll meet you over there," he responded, eying some of the goods Silk Country had out, "I want to look at some of their spices for a moment."

"Don't keep me waiting," she winked at him teasingly as she turned to make her way toward the Sakura booth, located on the opposite side of the depot. She was starting to enjoy teasing him flirtatiously; watching him blush made her ticklish inside.

The spark the two had was growing bigger and bigger each day they saw one another. Even though they hadn't been on an actual date yet, their actions were proof enough of their comfort with each other. It was only a matter of time before one would ask the other on a date.

Akiko was just about to approach the Sakura booth when she suddenly felt a tight pressure around her wrist. She quickly turned around to see why Raeger would grip onto her so tightly only to find it was Kamil.

"Kamil!" she gasped, completely shocked.

"We need to talk," he muttered crossly. Before she could protest, he started pulling her by the wrist he currently had in his grasp, making his way for the exit.

"Wait!" she shouted, trying to pull away. "Kamil, stop!" Reaching the stone step just outside of the trade depot, she was finally able to pull her arm away from him. Her face was red with embarrassment.

"Sorry," he started, his face still cross, "I couldn't talk to you in that crowd."

"Well, you didn't have to pull me out that way," she retaliated, "like a child!"

"My apologies," he responded, "but I just- I need to know right now. Are you dating Raeger?"

Akiko's anger disappeard; she was caught off guard. She was so shocked about his rash behavior, she had completely forgot that she needed to speak with him about Raeger.

"Where did you hear that?" she asked sternly, still unforgiving about his behavior.

"Lillie told me everything this morning. She mentioned that you two have been seen together quite a bit lately, holding hands, no less. Is it true?"

She didn't really know how to respond. Biting her bottom lip, she struggled to know where to begin. There was so much to tell him and all of this was being thrown at her so fast.

"Well?" Kamil was getting frustrated. He wanted answers.

"It's partially true," Akiko mumbled, "we're not dating, but we do have deep feelings for each other."

"Since when?"

"For a long time now, but-"

"Then why did you even go on a date with me if you had feelings for somebody else?"

"I wasn't sure about how I felt. I was in denial for so long, and then, one day, he came up to see me while I was working in the field-"

"He's been to your farm?!" This made Kamil especially angry. Not many people had been up to her farm and he wanted to be in the exclusive few that had.

"Okay," he sighed as he brought his hand up to his forehead, "Is there anything else?"

"Well," Akiko was a little nervous as she gulped, knowing she had to tell him everything, "We were going fishing together for a bit, and he's been going with me to the trade depot lately."

New ideas began to rush into his imagination, making his frustrated expression worse. Akiko was starting to get anxious. She never expected him to react this way; it wasn't his nature.

"I think I know what's going on," Kamil stated with a sarcastic smirk on his face.

"Kamil, please understand," she pleaded, "Raeger and I, we're not dating _yet_ , but-"

"I never knew you were like this. I thought you were better than this."

"What are you talking about?"

"C'mon," Kamil huffed, "You two are _not_ dating, he goes up to your farm _alone_ , you go ' _fishing_ ' with him, probably in remote places. Sounds like clever _allibis_."

"Kamil, what are you trying to say?"

"I'm sure you've heard of the phrase 'why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free'?"

"EXCUSE ME?!" Akiko's face turned red with anger.

* * *

Back the depot, Raeger finished with his browsing and headed towards the Sakura booth, only to find that Akiko was nowhere to be found. He wandered around the trade depot, weaving in and out of crowds in search of her.

 _Where could she have run off to?_ he thought with growing concern.

Moments later, he spotted Jonas, handing out flyers to people passing by, advertising the sales. Perhaps he had seen her.

"Jonas, have you seen Akiko?" Raeger asked, denying a flyer Jonas tried to hand him.

"Oh, yes," he answered with a worried expression, "Kamil just coerced her out a few minutes ago. He didn't look too happy."

 _Kamil?! That can't be good_.

As he drew closer to the stone steps, he could see Kamil and Akiko facing each other. Kamil had an irritated expression as he talked down to Akiko, who had her fists clenched at her sides, her face beat red.

Kamil noticed Raeger as he came up from behind Akiko.

"Well, look who it is," Kamil pointed out, also causing Akiko to take notice.

"This is between you and me, Kamil," Akiko bickered. Raeger said nothing, he didn't want to intervene. He knew his presence wouldn't make things any better, but he didn't want to leave her there, in case she needed him for any reason.

"Oh, right, because he has absolutely _nothing_ to do with this."

"You're not even giving me a chance to explain things!"

"What is all this ruckus?!" Klaus announced, making his way down the stone steps, looking annoyed. He stepped in between the two bickering hot heads and getting pushed them apart.

"The entire town can hear you two," he exaggerated, "this is _not_ the place for a conversation like this." Akiko agreed.

"Well, I was _hoping_ to have this conversation in a more private area," Akiko stated, continuing to face Kamil, "but this jerk just _had_ to drag me out of the depot, embarrassing me in front of everyone!"

"Oh, please!" Kamil retorted. "I bet you were never going to tell me anything. You probably like to have your options open."

Klaus completely stepped in between the two, facing Kamil, extremely displeased with his comment.

"That is no way to speak to a lady," he said in an intimidating tone. He looked back at Akiko, then to Raeger who just nodded. Klaus returned his nod.

"I'm going to take the lady with me for now," Klaus decided, "this conversation is too heated to continue like this."

Without giving Kamil a chance to voice his opinion on the decision, Klaus carefully hovered his arm over Akiko's shoulder, guiding her up the steps. She wasn't sure what was happening and why, but she complied. When they were out of earshot, Raeger approached Kamil, hoping to approach the tender subject at a different angle.

"I know it's probably not my place to say anything," Raeger informed, "but I think you should give her some space before-"

"I think you need to back off," Kamil interrupted belligerently.

"Excuse me?" Raeger decided that being polite wasn't going to get him anywhere.

"You know how long I've been trying just to get on a date with her? I been going as slow as possible, and I finally thought I was making progress, then you just suddenly decide that you want her instead. Is that how you like to play? You just steal girls from other men?"

"I have more respect than that, Kamil, and she was never _yours_ to begin with."

"So, you're saying this isn't your fault."

"Stop acting so childish."

"Look, just stay away from her."

"It's not up to _you_ who Akiko wants to be with. You're _not_ her boyfriend, so you need to stop acting like it."

With that, Raeger headed back to his restaurant; it was almost time to open and he had no desire to pursue the one-sided conversation. Kamil, just stood there, bewildered, then realized how foolish he acted. He let his emotions and frustration get the better of him. He plopped himself down on the cold steps, ashamed of himself.

* * *

Klaus escorted the flustered Akiko through town, making their way back to his home. On the way, they ran into Licorice and Fritz as they came out of the carpenter's shop. Licorice noticed Akiko walking with Klaus, her head pointed towards the ground. She instantly knew something was wrong, so she pardoned herself from Fritz and ran to her side.

"Akiko!" she exclaimed. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Let's wait until we're in a more appropriate environment," Klaus requested.

He chivalrously opened the door for the ladies, allowing them to enter his home before him. Akiko sat at the table with her arms folded, burying her face in them on the tabletop. Licorice took a seat next to her, rubbing her back. She looked up at Klaus for guidance.

"There was an unpleasant meeting this morning," he implied quietly. Licorice knew what he meant, looking back down at Akiko, who lifted her head back up from her arms. Thinking she was about to start crying, Licorice used a calming tone to speak to her.

"I'm guessing you ran into Kamil," she whispered.

"Something like that," Akiko replied, leaning her back against the chair. She went on explaining to her friend what happened after he had dragged her out of the depot. The calming aroma which filled the house relaxed her, making it easier to explain everything without getting upset. Klaus presented them with two hot cups of tea, then excused himself to the other room, giving the girls their privacy.

"Wow, what a jerk," Licorice commented after hearing the story, "still, I'm sorry it had to turn out that way."

"I just wish he gave me a chance to explain before jumping to all these insane conclusions," Akiko sighed.

"Maybe, after he's calmed down, he'll be more reasonable."

"I hope so."

KNOCK KNOCK.

Klaus re-entered from the other room to answer his door. He opened the door just wide enough for him to see the visitor, but not enough for the visitor to see the girls sitting at the table.

"Akiko," he called, turning his head back towards her, allowing her to see that it was Kamil. Before he could say anything else, she took a deep breath as she made her way towards the door.

"Thank you, Klaus," she said before turning her attention to Kamil. "How did you know I was here?"

"Call it a good guess," Kamil responded, much calmer now. "Can we talk?"

"I don't know, are you going to let me talk?"

"Yes, I'll just listen."

Akiko carefully closed the door behind her, then leaned against it, not wanting to leave. Finally getting her chance to explain everything to Kamil, she started from the beginning, when she first met Raeger. They started out as just friends, but everything changed on the night he got sick, when the she first felt the spark. Ever since then, she had been denying her feelings, not knowing what real love was. Going further into detail, she explained his visits to the farm, the fishing trips, and the meet ups at the trade depot.

"I see," Kamil sighed once she had finished. "So, you felt no connection with me, then?"

"I'm sorry," Akiko replied, "At first, I really did try to find one between you and me, but I just couldn't."

"But what can Raeger give you that I can't?"

"I- I can't exactly answer that. Something about him just pulls me to him."

Kamil lowered his head, looking at the flowers that were planted at the foundation of the building. Akiko apologized, feeling guilty about unintentionally leading him on. She was hoping they could just stay friends, but him constantly bringing up dating in their everyday conversations was beginning to weigh her down.

"I- I understand," Kamil murmured. "It might be best if we- if we gave each other some space for a while."

"That would be best," Akiko agreed, "maybe, after some time, we could be friends?"

"I'm sure that's possible," Kamil mustered a small smile. With that said, he turned back to head back to his room at the inn, wishing her the best with Raeger.

She went back into Klaus's house to find Licorice pouring herself more hot water. Assuming she could hear the conversation, since it took place just right outside the door, she didn't feel the need to fill her in on any details. Retaking her place at the table, she took a sip of her now cold tea, cringing at the flavor.

"Did you two resolve anything?" Licorice asked as she sat back down next to her.

"Yes," Akiko replied with a relieving sigh, "I think we did."

"So, then what are you still doing here?"

"Huh?"

"What about Raeger?"

"Oh! I almost forgot!"

She said a quick goodbye to Klaus in the other room, thanking him for his hospitality. He nodded with a smile as she burst out the door. Her legs felt weightless, almost like wings. The urge to run was unavoidable. She felt free, free from sparing other's feelings. For once, she only had to worry about what she felt and what she wanted. In no time, she was at the restaurant, panting heavily. She looked at the clock on the wall the moment she entered; dinner rush was about to start. The room was filled with people from the trade depot, filling the room with a loud roar.

Not knowing where to place herself with most of the tables being full, she looked around for Raeger, who was most likely cooking. She didn't want to disturb him, so she waited at the front desk. Then, he came out from the back, wiping his hands on his red apron.

"Welcome," he greeted cheerfully, not noticing it was Akiko at first, "Table for- oh! Akiko!"

She shrugged, beaming at him, not able to hold in her happiness. As her amethyst-like eyes gazed at him, he smiled back at her.

"Raeger, I-" she was at a loss for words, "I know you're busy- I mean, I wanted to talk to you, but-"

"Yes, Akiko?" he interrupted, winking at her.

She sighed heavily, trying to contain her excitement, "What I mean to say is, would you like any help tonight? With the dinner rush?"

"Well," Raeger pondered, taking a look back over the crowd of customers, "I wouldn't mind some help with dishes."

"Consider it done!" she declared. She made a quick trip upstairs to his room to remove her jacket and scarf, grabbing an apron before she made her way back down. Making a bee-line for the kitchen, she got right to work. With her help, Raeger was able to pay more attention to his cooking and get orders out faster. Every once in a while, he would take a glance at her and chuckle at her serious expressions, staying focused on the task at hand. Her assistance made the rush much easier to deal with than it would've been solo.

Akiko helped him clean after all the customers left, satisfied. Raeger was able to turn the 'Open' card over to 'Close' much earlier than normal. She teased him, saying that it was bad business, but all he did was shrug, claiming that, as the owner, he could decide whether to close early or not.

"Whew! Finally done!" she sighed, collapsing against the counter, never realizing how much he had to do everyday.

"Thanks for your help tonight," he praised as he untied his apron from behind his waist.

"I figured if you had help, you'd get done faster. You should hire some help, there's too much to do for one man."

"I usually don't mind it. It keeps me busy. It's not like I have much else to do."

"Well, you might, soon."

He turned his head towards her, catching her blushing as she stared at the clean floor.

"Meaning, what?" he asked, taunting her. He had a clue what she meant, but pretend to be in the dark.

"Meaning, that, maybe I want you to spend more time with me," she confessed, then looking away to hide her blushing cheeks. Despite their closeness, she was still shy at times.

"Oh? Well, will it be soon?"

"Probably, why?"

"Well, you see, I have this date..."

Akiko's heart sank. She couldn't believe what she just heard. _He's joking, right?!_ she thought.

"Oh, you do?" she mumbled, failing to hide her disappointment, but trying to be supportive, considering they weren't really dating. "Sounds, er, exciting. When?"

"I'm hoping to shoot for Wednesday night, you know, because it's my day off."

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

"The thing is, I haven't asked her yet."

Akiko gave him a confusing look, wondering if she heard him right. He approached her and took her hands in his, grinning ear to ear.

"Akiko, would you like to go on a date with me Wednesday?" he asked, blushing slightly.

"Why do you have to tease me like that?" she exasperated as he chuckled at her reaction.

"Well?"

"Of course I will, but you have to stop teasing me like that!"

"Sounds like date." He pulled her in close, gently kissing her cheek as her heart skipped.


	9. A Date Long Overdue

**Chapter Nine: A Date Long Overdue**

Fall was drawing closer to its end. Farmers were selling everything they could before the slow season of winter began. The carpenter and his wife were working extra long hours to stock up on firewood, which was soon to be in high demand. Oak Tree Town was known to have at least one bad snow storm a year, which lead to every household stocking up with supplies before fall's end.

Fritz and Licorice were spending their remaining days on his farm, repairing parts of his fence that held in his livestock.

"You really couldn't wait to do this until spring?" Licorice questioned, standing by the stockpile of wood and nails.

"Ya don' understand," Fritz responded, wiping off sweat from his brow, "the animals still need to be let out every once in a while, even in winter. It'll be really hard to try an' catch one when it's freezin' out."

"Okay. So, you want to remind me how the fence broke again?"

"It's jus' old, is all. Nothin' a little hard work won' fix!"

Licorice smiled as she handed him a few more nails. She was glad to see Fritz act like the farmer he was meant to be. He looked up and saw her smiling, making his face turn tomato red. Before he could say anything, she looked up and noticed Akiko headed their way, standing up and waving to get her attention.

"Akiko!" she shouted excitedly. "Over here!" The sudden burst startled Fritz, hitting his head on the top board. Akiko was just returning from the trade depot, selling off the last of her crops.

"Well, well, well," Fritz greeted with a taunting expression, rubbing the top of his head from the bump, "if it isn' Kiki. Heard ya have a date with Raeger."

"I do," Akiko replied, trying to hold in a smile, "tomorrow night."

"WHAT?!" Licorice was astonished. "Since when?!"

"He asked me a few days ago, after I left Klaus's," Akiko was red with embarrassment, forgetting that she never mentioned anything to her best friend about it. Licorice beamed at her as she made a small squeal.

"I can't believe it!" Licorice shrieked. "It's about damn time!" Akiko laughed nervously, even though she agreed with her. She had been wanting to go on a date with Raeger for a while now, and it was finally happening.

"Details!" Licorice demanded. "I need details!"

"Well, actually, I don't even know what we're doing tomorrow," Akiko said sheepishly.

"Seriously?" Fritz asked with a puzzled look. "Ya know nothin'? Maybe ya should call an' ask him."

"I'll just go see him," Akiko retorted.

"What?!" Licorice put in, "You can't go see him before your date!"

"Huh? Why not?"

"You'll ruin the anticipation of the date! You should never see the person before the first date! It's like, dating 101!"

"First of all, stop saying 'date' over and over. Second, it's not like it's a wedding, why can't I-"

"Just trust me! Just call him really quick."

"Uhm, okay. Fritz, can I use your phone for a bit?"

Fritz nodded, and without any hesitation, Licorice yanked Akiko inside by her wrist; she was too excited. On the way in, she demanded to know why Akiko didn't tell her sooner about the date, but she didn't really have an answer for her.

* * *

Back at the restaurant, customers were enjoying the warmth of the room and the taste of the food. Raeger was taking a small rest by the front counter, wiping off the sweat from his forehead. A busy trade depot usually meant a busy day for him. As he took a small drink of water, the phone beside him rang.

"Good afternoon," he answered with slight fatigue.

"Hey, you," Akiko responded sweetly, happy to hear his voice. Despite being worn out, a smile quickly grew from ear to ear on his face.

"How are you?"

"Good. You sound tired, are you busy?"

"You know it, but I have a few minutes. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. Listen, you just haven't filled me in on the details for tomorrow."

"Oh, yeah, sorry. That's mostly because I'm not quite sure myself. How's dinner and a movie at my place sound? Say about, 5?"

Before Akiko could responded, she heard a snide "So cliche" come from Licorice in the other room, her hand over the receiver so neither of them would hear her breathing.

"Licorice! Get off!" Akiko loudly whispered, covering the receiver. She quietly hung up her end of the line.

"Hello?" Raeger got worried from the long silence.

"Sorry!" Akiko quickly returned to her conversation with him. "Yeah, dinner and a movie? Sounds like a date to me."

"I know it's not much, but I figured I'd keep it simple."

"I like simple. Do you need me to bring anything? Dessert?"

"What? No, you don't need to bring anything but an appetite."

"Oh, come on! I need to put something into this."

"Alright, you can bring dessert, but it better be good."

"You'll love it, I promise."

"I don't doubt it, but I need to get back to work now. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay, bye."

Akiko quickly turned to Licorice, a little frustrated, questioning why she was listening in on the phone call. Licorice simply giggled, claiming that she just couldn't help herself.

* * *

The next night, Akiko was carrying a strawberry chocolate cake down the stone steps to Raeger's. She was getting more nervous the closer she got, anticipating the date since he asked her. Quickly fixing her hair, she knocked on the glass of the door. Not a few moments later, he answered, greeting her with the biggest grin and welcoming her inside.

She was shocked to see the restaurant look so different. All the curtains were closed with all but one table pushed to the wall. The lone table sat in the middle of the restaurant with six candles lit up, giving it a nice, ambient glow. The lights were all off, except for one, which happened to be right above the table. Even the tablecloth was changed.

She turned to look at him, completely struck with amazement.

"You didn't have to do all of this," she smiled, referring to the temporary layout.

"Sure I did," he replied with a slight wink. "Cake looks great."

"Oh!" she had forgotten about it. "Yeah, made it myself. It won't be as good as your food, but-"

"I'm sure it's divine," he chuckled, taking it from her and placing it in the kitchen. While he was busy putting it in the fridge, she approached the table, stroking the top of it. All the silverware and napkins were placed so neatly. Quickly returning, he pulled out the chair for her. She neatly seated herself, still in awe.

 _I can't believe he did all of this_ , she thought. Suddenly, she got a good whiff of the food he was bringing out from the kitchen. Still steaming, he placed a hot plate of creamy cheese pasta with a side of bread. After placing his food, he pulled out a bottle of wine, slowly pouring it into her glass.

"Told you I'd bring the wine," he teased. She giggled quietly, suddenly remembering the fishing trip back in summer time.

Finally, he took his seat across from her, gesturing to 'dig in.' The flavors danced across Akiko's taste buds, like nothing she had ever had before.

"Raeger, this is _delicious_!" she exclaimed after she swallowed a few bites.

"I'm really glad you like it," he responded, blushing.

"I don't remember seeing something like this on the menu."

"Heh, why would I serve you something from my everyday menu? I wanted this to be special."

Their plates were nearly empty in no time. During the meal, they shared a few laughs, mostly jokes. Raeger was afraid of awkward silences, but the more they laughed, the more confidence he gained.

"I was always wondering," Raeger began, taking a small drink of wine, "of all things you could've done, why become a farmer? Why come to Oak Tree Town?"

Akiko was caught off guard. No one had ever really asked her _why_ before. The topic was lightly discussed during their first fishing trip, but never was she asked why she chose that profession in particular.

"I'm not really sure," she replied softly, swirling the wine around in her glass, "growing up in the city, I didn't really know a lot about it. I looked for any opportunity to get out, even considered just running away to a far away town, hoping to find a job wherever I ended up. Then, one day, I was working as a waitress, and one of the customers left his newspaper at the table. Out of curiosity, I flipped through it on my break and saw the ad. I looked up Oak Tree Town when I got home that night. It was really far from the city, farther than I could ever hoped to get on my own."

"You took it without any knowledge of farming?"

"I saw my chance and took it. It offered introductory lessons, which Eda gave me. I figured if it didn't work out, I could still find a way to make money, even if it meant finding a different profession here. Luckily for me, I'm a natural at it. Don't get me wrong, though, I don't regret anything. This town feels more like home than any other place I've been to."

"What about your mother? Or your uncle? What did they say?"

Akiko lowered her head, continuing to swirl the wine around as her other hand clenched a bit. Raeger didn't realize he had hit a tender subject, feeling bad almost immediately after seeing her reaction.

"I never told them," she remarked sternly. "I just left."

"I'm sorry," Raeger apologized, "I didn't mean to intrude. It was just something I never knew, so I-"

"It's fine," she interrupted, lifting her head up, smiling at him, trying to be reassuring. "What about you? How did you choose to be one of the best chefs out there?"

"One of the best?" he chuckled, tickled by her flattery. "Well, as you know, my parents divorced when I was young, so with my mom and grandpa always being busy, I had to make my own meals. I got bored with grilled cheese and scrambled eggs everyday, so I would pick up cookbooks from the library every once in a while and memorized the recipes I liked the best. Over time, I just got better at it, in fact, I got my first job at 15, working as a side cook at the local diner."

"Wow, that's awesome! If only you worked at the diner I worked at," Akiko teased, drinking a little more wine.

"If only," he smirked, "but, as for leaving, I guess you could say it was the same reason as you. I didn't really like the village we lived in. I wanted more than just a part time job at a low-end diner. So, I left, found this building for sale and bought it with what money I had. With it, I could start my own business, it also helped that my apartment was just upstairs."

"Don't you mean your bachelor pad?"

"Hardly."

"C'mon, you can tell me. How many girlfriends have you had since you've been here?"

"Ha, well, I've only ever had three. My first one back home, she only liked me for my cooking. The first one here, she didn't last long. She wanted too much attention. My most recent one, well, let's just say being a one-man-woman didn't sit with her very well."

"Really? Who would ever give you up? You're great."

"What can I say, I just haven't found the right girl yet. What about you? You can't tell me that you don't have any old boyfriends."

"I had one, back in the city, but he ended up being a jerk. He played off the nice-guy routine pretty well for a bit, but it wore off fast."

"I can guarantee that I will never treat you poorly."

Akiko looked up to find him gazing at her, his emerald eyes bouncing off the warm candlelight. Reaching across the table, he softly grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently. Her face turned red as she squeezed back.

"Ready for cake?" he asked softly, never breaking the gaze. She nodded, smiling at him. Releasing his soft grasp on her hand, he took their plates back with him, quickly returning with two pieces of cake. The strawberry cream frosting and dark chocolate cake instantly made her excited; it was her favorite cake recipe. Seeing the gleam in her eyes made him a little excited to try it.

His face instantly lit up after he took his first bite, eating the cake faster than she did. Once he had cleaned the plate, he asked where she got such an amazing recipe. She wouldn't reveal her secret, telling him that maybe she'll tell him next time she made it.

Akiko helped clear the table. He insisted that she didn't need to help, but she ignored him, claiming that it would get done faster; she really just wanted to watch a movie with him.

She followed him up the wooden stairs to his apartment above the restaurant. It seemed to be just the right size for him. A long bookshelf took place of a wall in the middle of the room, separating the small kitchenette in the corner and his 'bedroom,' which consisted of a full size bed in the corner accompanied by a small nightstand, a fireplace on the other end, a tv, and a sofa with a blanket hanging over the armrest.

"What kind of movie do you like?" he asked, flipping through his movies on one of the many shelves of his bookcase. Akiko felt a little out of place, she didn't watch a lot of movies, so she didn't know what kind of answer he was looking for.

"Any kind," she shrugged, taking a seat on the sofa after placing her boots by the stairs. Moments later, he came around the corner with a movie in hand, taking his seat next her after starting it.

"So, what did you choose?" she asked with curiosity as she pulled the blanket from the armrest around her shoulders.

"A scary movie," he replied as he stretched his arm over the back of the sofa, leaving his torso open for her, then he noticed the blanket. "Sorry for the cold. I don't usually have the heat up too high, I use the fireplace mostly."

"It's not too bad," she stated, tucking her legs under the blanket, a little nervous about the movie. She tried to ignore his hinting gesture at cuddling. Even though they were really close, this was only their first date; she didn't want to move too fast. As the movie started, she slowly moved closer to him, as if there were a gravitational pull, eventually ending up resting against him.

The movie started off with a legend about an old house, which grew abandoned over the years. Young adults would stay there for a quick adrenaline rush, but many ended up missing. The main character was a blonde haired, blue eyed man with overpowering biceps, taking his twig-like girlfriend there with his friends for a weekend getaway. With creepy noises constantly being heard, the girlfriend is the first to suspect that the house may be haunted. During a conversation one of the friends was having, a door burst open, followed by a sudden rush of a white figure at the screen.

"AAAH!" Akiko shrieked, firmly grasping Raeger's shirt as she buried her face in his neck. Startling him slightly, he let out a loud laugh.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh," he said, pausing the movie, "I can turn it off if you want."

"No, it's fine," she mumbled, still hiding her face. He brought his arm from the back of the sofa and held her tight, resting his cheek on her soft hair.

* * *

By the end of the movie, Akiko had kept her face hidden in Raeger's neck through most of it, clutching onto his shirt. Every time she got scared, he mustered all his strength to control his laughter. He just couldn't stand how cute she was.

"Wow, look at the time," Raeger grunted as he leaned forward to turn off the tv, looking at the clock just above the fireplace. It was 10:30pm.

"Oh!" Akiko exclaimed as she jumped off the sofa. "I need to get back home."

"I'll take you home," he suggested, stretching his arms in the air.

"Don't be silly, you have work in the morning. I'll be fine."

"It's late, besides, I really don't mind. I'd be willing to lose some sleep ensuring you get home safely."

Akiko smiled, pulling her arms through her jacket, feeling flattered. Both ready to go, he grabbed her hand as they headed down the wooden staircase, once again intertwining their fingers together. Digging his keys out of his pocket, he opened the door, only to find a layer of snow on the ground. They were shocked, fall still had another two days left.

"Looks like we've got some early snow this year," Akiko commented, looking up at the black sky.

"That's alright," Raeger replied quietly, locking the door behind them.

Making their way up the many stone steps to reach the mountain paths, they continued to hold hands, keeping each other close. The air was frigid and still, making every sound they made echo through the dead silent streets. Neither said a word until they started heading up the mountain, afraid that any noise at all would awaken the entire town. Reaching the mountain path, the layer of snow got slightly heavier. The bright moonlight brightened up the snow, lighting up the surroundings with a white glow.

"It's strange how quiet it is after snowfall," Raeger pointed out quietly. Akiko nodded, looking back at the town. Not a single light flickered from any window. The silence was almost eery to her; she had never been out this late before. In the distance, the streaming river could vaguely be heard as they made their up further up the path.

"You're not scared, are you?" Raeger teased.

"I wouldn't be if it weren't for that scary movie," Akiko responded, glancing around, almost waiting for something to come out and snatch her, like the ghosts did in the movie.

"I won't let anything get you," he pulled her closer to him, making her feel more secure. He then decided to bring out more of his teasing nature.

"AHH!" he yelled, suddenly pushing her, just enough so she wouldn't trip. She let out a loud shriek before hearing his loud laughter.

"Raeger!" she shouted in frustration. He couldn't stop laughing long enough to apologize.

"I'm sorry, Akiko," he chuckled, calming down a bit, "you're just so adorable, even when you're mad." She turned away from him, still flustered, her hand still entwined with his. Approaching the entrance to her farm, she silently forgave him, pushing herself closer to him. He walked her up to her door.

"Despite the scare a few moments ago, I really hope you enjoyed our time together," Raeger smiled, facing towards her.

"Of course I did," Akiko replied softly, glancing over her snow covered land, the glow of the white snow filling her purple eyes as it added a shine to her chocolate hair.

"Would you be willing to go on another date with me?" he asked, his face turning red.

"Nothing would make me happier," her catching smile appeared on her face as she turned back to him, causing his heart to race. He loved seeing that smile, it captured him every time.

Smiling to her response, he gently grabbed a loose strand of hair in front of her face and tucked it behind her ear. Cupping her icy cheek with his warm hand, his eyes grew softer as he got lost in hers. He gently began pulling her towards him, parting his lips slightly as his eyes slowly closed. Akiko could feel her heartbeat pound against her chest, following his pull. Her eyelashes fluttered before they, too, closed, parting her lips to match his. Growing nervous, her cold lips started to quiver seconds before she felt his hot breath.

Then, she could feel his soft lips press against hers, almost feeling her heart explode as she softly pressed back. His warm kiss quickly warmed her up, sending a strange wave throughout her body. Without releasing her lips from his, he wrapped his free arm around her waist, keeping her there, close to him, hoping she couldn't feel his racing heart.

Simultaneously, they slowly pulled apart from each other, both blushing as soft smiles grew across their faces.

"Goodnight," he whispered, carefully pressing his forehead against hers, the tip of their noses touching.

"Goodnight," she whispered back before turning towards her door to head inside.

After he watched her head inside safely, he started to head back home. Moving his hand over his mouth, he bit the bottom of his lip, his heartbeat warming up his cold ears as it pulsated through his body.

 _She tastes like strawberry cream_ , he thought, thinking of the cake she made earlier.

Akiko collapsed on her bed after she had removed her jacket and boots, her heartbeat pounding away. Her breathing became heavier, wishing the moment could last forever.


	10. Dangerous Chills

**Chapter Ten: Dangerous Chills  
**

Akiko's eyes shot open in the darkness of the night, a piercing cold coursing its way throughout her body. Slightly dazed by her sudden awakening, she pushed herself up, her arms shivering. Hours earlier, she had collapsed on her bed, quickly fading into sleep after Raeger had escorted her home from their date, forgetting to change clothes or even snuggling under the warm covers. Feeling foolish, she gathered the small strength she had to quickly change into more comfortable sleeping apparel.

Before crawling back into her bed, she walked over to one of her windows to gaze out to the sky. The infinite sparkling of the stars above filled her with a hypnotic happiness as the recent memory of her first kiss with Raeger quickly flashed through her mind. Longing to pursue a committed relationship with him, it felt like the date was nothing more than a far off dream come true.

A sudden rush of wind shook the trees, the sound of rustling snapping Akiko out of her trance. Approaching her bed, she pulled back the thick quilt and slid right in. Her icy skin quickly melted, coaxing her back to sleep.

Back at the restaurant...

Raeger returned home just after midnight. The subtle warmth of his room kissed his skin, welcoming him back in from the cold. Hanging his jacket over an armrest of his sofa, a sigh escaped from him as he noticed the time. Still, he held no regret in sacrificing a few hours of sleep for the night he spent with Akiko. The succulent flavor of cream and strawberries still lingered on his lips as he replayed the kiss in his mind.

After he had finished changing, he placed himself into bed. Her dark amethyst eyes weighed on his mind as he tried drifting into sleep. He never excepted a single kiss to drag him deeper in love.

* * *

The final day of fall finally arrived, dragging along another busy day for the trade depot. Vendors eager to sell as much as possible before winter arrived. Licorice had met Akiko there about mid morning, gawking over the details about her date.

"It's obvious he used the scary movie as a ploy," Licorice pointed out, inspecting the remaining product at the Wheat Country booth.

"Yeah, I figured that after I got home," Akiko giggled.

"Still, even though it wasn't 'all out,' that sounds like it was a great first date. Simple, yet effective."

"I think so, too."

"Are you going on a second date with him?"

"I already said yes."

"Well, when?"

"I haven't spoke to him today yet. I'm sure he's still sleeping, he _did_ get home late last night from taking me home. I don't want to bother him right now."

 _"Excuse me, ladies?"_

The girls turned behind them to face the unfamiliar voice. Nervously scratching the back of his head, the man adjusted his glasses as soon as he got their attention. His shaggy blonde hair fell against his unshaven face when he reached for the back of his head.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to interrupt," he spoke with a shy smile, "but I was wondering if you could help me out."

"Sure, what can we do?" Licorice offered, suspicion growing in her gut.

"Is there some sort of information booth around here? You see, I'm lost. I fell asleep on the train out here and it seems as though I've missed my stop."

"Oh, yes. Jonas has all the information you need, he's over there at the entrance." Licorice pointed in the direction of the main gate.

"Thank you so much, young lady!" he said gratefully. "I never thought such beautiful girls would help out a dirty ol' man such as myself."

"It's no problem, really," Akiko smiled, uneasiness sending chills up her spine.

The strange man walked away, heading towards the direction in which he was directed.

"Please tell me he made you nervous, too," Akiko whispered.

"Yeah, he did," Licorice replied quietly, "but, it could just be cautious behavior. I mean, that convict still has yet to be caught."

Hastening their time at the depot, the girls headed back to Maurice's Inn, seeking the comfort of Licorice's warm room. The Inn was bustling with tourists, most of which were only planning on spending one last night before heading home. The winter season always meant a next to empty trade depot; the vendors weren't willing to take the risk of traveling through dangerous storms.

"Yikes!" Licorice exclaimed, concerning the crowd inside the inn. "Hurry, let's get to my room!" Their efforts to maneuver through the people proved to be in vain. Bumps were exchanged and were unavoidable. However, the floor in which permanent tenants, such as Licorice, Kamil, and Nadi lived, remained solitary. Feeling relief from the overwhelming crowd, Licorice fiddled through her purse for the keys to her room.

"Oh, good morning, Akiko."

Akiko turned around to see Kamil, who was leaving his room just down the hall. She had almost forgotten that he lived practically next door to her best friend, considering the last time she saw him was on Klaus's doorstep. His attempt at a smile as he approached her was weak, making the run-in awkward

"Kamil!" she replied in shock. "Uh, good morning!"

"You look as lovely as ever. I hope you're doing well, despite the early snow."

"Yeah, I'm doing great, I suppose, what about-"

"Sorry," Licorice interrupted with a nervous smile, grabbing Akiko by the arm, "we're busy."

"Oh, I see," Kamil commented, disappointed, "I guess we'll have to catch up some other time then." With that, he made his way downstairs, his eyes lowered. Licorice opened her door, guiding the bewildered Akiko inside.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, curious about Licorice's slight hostility towards Kamil.

"Do I really need to spell it out for you?" Licorice retorted, "He's not completely over your turn down."

"How would you know?"

"These walls aren't as thick as they should be. I can hear his conversations. I don't mean to eavesdrop, but it's hard not to."

"Maybe you should move."

As much as Licorice wanted to move, she couldn't afford any of the housing located in West Oak Tree; the same neighborhood Klaus lived in. Fritz had offered to build a small cottage on the orchard with her, but she didn't own the orchard. Sighing hopefully, Licorice started making some hot chocolate to warm them up from being outside. Akiko took the liberty of making small sandwiches for lunch.

For hours, the girls talked about Akiko's date and what could come next. Trying to change the attention to Licorice, she questioned why she hadn't gone on a date yet. The more time passes, the clearer her relationship with Fritz was growing, but she still had a schoolgirl crush on Klaus. However, she worried that Klaus's romantic eye was looking towards Iris, an equally classy woman around his own age. Akiko claimed that, despite their closeness, Iris and Klaus were merely gossip buddies, hinting that he was open for just about anybody.

Then, to Akiko's displeasure, Licorice brought up Elise, the richest farmer in Oak Tree Town. She had overheard Lillie talking to her on the phone the other day, hearing things about lying to Kamil and telling him the truth the following day, the same day Kamil had confronted and embarrassed Akiko at the trade depot. A cringe came to Akiko's stomach.

"The situation would've been handled better if she didn't interfere," Licorice stated, noticing Akiko's discomfort.

"Why does she feel the need to do things like that?" Akiko asked, feeling hurt. "I haven't even done anything to her."

"She's just jealous, and has been since day one. Whether you like to admit it, you're a gorgeous girl, Akiko. I remember when you first came here, you were the talk of the town. All the guys were gawking over you."

"Heh, yeah, I do remember getting a lot of attention. I'm sorry."

"What? Don't apologize! There's no need to. I just thought, as your best friend, you'd share some of those good looks with me."

"Oh, please! You're plenty beautiful!"

"As if!"

The giggling that followed only masked Akiko's remaining curiosity. She had always did her best to get along with everybody in town, but could never understand why Elise disdained her the way she did, enough so that she would completely snub Akiko whenever they would pass by.

"I should start heading home," Akiko stated as she looking out the window, staring at the crowds of wandering bodies going in every direction.

"I think you should wait for Raeger to get off work so he can take you home safely," Licorice urged, her expression quickly changing from joy to concern.

"The sun won't be setting for a while now, and I don't want to inconvenience him by staying out late again."

"Okay, but call me when you get home."

With their concerns exchanged, Akiko pulled on her jacket, wrapping the soft, black scarf around her neck. Licorice, watching through her bedroom window, watched her turn the corner to head towards the mountain paths. She felt uneasy, letting her friend go home alone, despite the daylight.

* * *

At the restaurant, Raeger was frantically keeping up with the never-ending orders. The excitement from the date with Akiko still lingered in his chest and seemed to give him the confidence and energy he needed to face the rush of customers.

Near the end of the lunch rush, Fritz entered the restaurant. He was excited to hear about the infamous date. In between his trips from tables and the kitchen, Raeger would do his best to give Fritz as much details possible.

"Wow," Fritz leaned up against the counter, Raeger finally cleaning up after his last customer. He decided to start closing a little earlier for winter; no sense in staying open late with the trade depot being empty for the season.

"Why the astonishment?" Raeger questioned, confused by Fritz's bewilderment.

"Nothin'," Fritz responded, shrugging his shoulders as a devilish smirk smeared across his face, "It's jus' that ya two enjoyed ya'selves quite a bit."

"What can I say, I've been waiting for a day like that with her for a long time now. Do you think I'm going too fast with her?"

"Hmm, well, it _was_ a first date, but ya really close to her. From the sound of it, she didn' seem to mind it."

"That's reassuring. When are you going to ask Licorice out on a date? She looks like she's warming up to you more."

"Aw, c'mon, man," Fritz lowered his head, his cheeks turning pink, "why do ya always turn it around on me?"

"Just ask her, I'm sure she would-"

Their conversation was interrupted with the roar of a ruckus happening outside. As they both rushed out the door, they were greeted by a frantic crowd of tourists and locals alike. They stood at the back of the crowd, who were all facing a few police officers.

"People, please!" An office beckoned, trying to calm down the crowd. "We'll be as thorough as possible!"

"What's goin' on?" Fritz asked a nearby tourist.

"Some people are claiming they spotted the convict," the tourist quietly responded. Worry quickly overwhelmed Raeger.

"Where?" He asked, trying to keep calm.

"At the trade depot, but he doesn't look like he does in the poster. His face is shaven and his hair is a lot shorter. Some people are claiming that he was wearing glasses to disguise himself."

The officer's at the head of the crowd were urging people to find safety indoors while they searched the town for the suspicious man. Raeger looked at Fritz sternly, informing him that he was going to Akiko's. One of the officer's overheard and demanded that Raeger return home; the less people out, the easier it will be for them to conduct their manhunt.

"There's a couple of people who live far up the mountain path," Raeger pleaded, "An elder and a young woman. I need to make sure they're alright."

"I understand," the officer calmly responded, "we'll send a few officers up that way to check first. For now, I need you to return to your home."

* * *

Akiko headed inside the barn to visit with her animals. It was still early in the day, so she decided that some nice quality time with them could fill in the gap. Hanako, her first cow, always followed her around as she moved about the barn. Eda had given her that cow when she first arrived in Oak Tree Town, making her the oldest animal she owned. After Hanako came the brown horse, then a few sheep and another cow. In the coop, she owned some chickens and two rabbits.

Suddenly, the animals became restless. They started to move about in a nervous manner, making Akiko concerned.

 _Maybe it's the weather_ , she tried to console herself. She knew it probably wasn't true, but she couldn't think of a good explanation for the strange behavior. She made her way outside to the pasture, out the wooden gate, and towards her home. A figure caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head in the direction of the entrance to her farm.

Standing under the wooden arch was the nervous tourist who she had met earlier that morning. He was just standing there, one hand in the pocket of his thick coat while the other adjusted his classes, smirking.

"What are you doing way up here?" Akiko called out, standing her ground. The only reasons tourists traveled up the mountain were to see the public fields, such as the orchard and flower field, reining supreme with beauty. No one had ever ventured into her farm before.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the man called back, "I seem to have lost my way. Do you think you could show me back to town?"

"It's just back the way you came," a strange pain in her stomach began to form.

"But, but it's just been so long." The smile on the mans face began to twitch, his pale eyes wandered as he slowly started heading towards Akiko, making her nervous.

"So long?"

"Since I've felt the warmth of a woman." Akiko's eyes widened with fear. She didn't recognize the man at first, but the poster quickly flashed through her mind. He was about the same height, had the same color of hair, but it was hard to notice him without the thick beard shielding his face. His eyes, however, were just as pale.

Her heart began to race with panic, she didn't know what to do. If she headed inside her home, he could easily trap her. As she tried to recollect where she had placed some of her tools to defend herself, her mind went blank.

The convict slowly began picking up his pace, licking his dry lips. "I'm sure you've heard of me. My urges are uncontrollable, and with all this hiding and evasion, it's been like living without food or water."

She didn't have a choice, she ran for her door as quickly as she could, hearing the snow crunch behind her as he headed towards her faster. Her hands shaking violently, she dialed the number for the police. The ring she heard on the other end never seemed so slow before. The phone was yanked out of her hand, she didn't hear him enter the house. The devilish pale eyes inspected her body as he seized her wrist.

"Get off!" she screamed, hitting his as hard as she could muster, knocking the glasses off of his face. The grasp he had on her wrist gripped tighter as he pulled a knife out of his pocket.

"When I saw you at that depot place," he spoke anxiously, his whole body shaking with a terrible excitement, "I knew I wanted you to be- AAH!"

Akiko kicked him in the crotch, releasing her from his grip. Bolting out the door, she instinctively headed towards her barn, suddenly remembering that some of her tools were stored inside. With time being a factor, she grabbed onto the wooden post of the fence and jumped over. The edge of the post grabbed onto the edge of her skirt, ripping it up to her waist and scraping her thigh. Ignoring it, the instant she landed, she made her way to the doors.

The pasture was difficult to run through with it being covered in snow. Only a few yards away from the doors, her foot slipped on an icy rock hidden by the snow. Her ankle twisted around, sending a sharp pain up her leg. Pushing through the pain, she stood back up and burst inside shortly after hearing the man running out from her house, shouting for her whereabouts. She had no doubt he saw her enter the barn.

With the livestock still on edge, she carefully maneuvered her way around them, her ankle feeling as heavy as lead. A select few of her tools were leaning up against a wall on the other side of the barn. Choosing the pitchfork, she then hobbled behind one of the thick beams to hide and wait. With her injury, she had no choice but to hope for someone to come to her rescue.

Raeger was the first person to flash through her mind, then Licorice. She had never felt so trapped and helpless before, the fear of never seeing either of them made her heart sink. Tears started flowing down her cheeks as she tried to hold back her sobbing. Struck with terror, she heard the barn doors creak open. She could hear the man's heavy breathing, he was starting to sound desperate to satisfy his urges.

"Girly," he distressed, "I promise to make it as painless as possible."

She had no idea where he was as she heard his feet shuffling on the ground, making the livestock more lively. One of her sheep ran past her, followed by the man. He hadn't seen her yet. As he was turning around the check the corner he just passed, she swung with all her might, hitting the back of his head with pitchfork, snapping the end off.

The convict collapsed, unconscious. With her back leaning against the beam, Akiko slid to the ground, relieving weight off of her injured ankle. Her breathing was out of control, she could no longer keep quiet. She began sobbing as the possibilities of what could have happened began rising to thought.

Then, more people ran into the barn. It was the police. The had heard the sobs from outside, quickly making their way inside. One officer helped Akiko to her feet as the others arrested the man lying motionless on the ground. After he was subdued, they began to investigate the inside of her home, which was made a mess by the man.

The officers began writing their report, asking Akiko many questions, concluding that the convict must've carefully followed her home, keeping a good distance so she wouldn't notice. Pulling her jacket tighter around herself, she sniffled. The tear in her skirt was sending a chilling draft through her legs. Once the report was finished, the officers went ahead and escorted the man back to town, where he would be transported back to prison. The one officer helped Akiko down to the clinic in Oak Tree Town, allowing her to use him as a crutch.

* * *

Licorice paced back and forth in her room. She had yet to hear from Akiko, who was supposed to call and inform her of her safe return home. It had been hours. The guests in the hotel were frantic from all the fuss about the convict sighting, making Licorice more uneasy.

Call already!

Passing by the window, she saw police dragging away a man in handcuffs. A relieving smile appeared on her face, but soon disappeared as she soon saw another officer, holding up the hobbling Akiko, who still had tears streaming down her face. Without a second thought, Licorice ran downstairs and out the door.

"AKIKO!" she shouted, catching their attention. Quickly releasing the officer, Akiko hugged Licorice, happy to see her. Informing the officer that she could take her friend to the clinic, he went to help his fellow officers with the captive.

Entering the guild, shock was slapped across Veronica's face upon seeing the girls enter. Rushing to their aid, Angela heard her mother's panic and came to assist them back to the clinic. After getting Akiko on one of the many small beds, Licorice headed back out to the front of the guild to make a quick call.

Back at the restaurant, Raeger had just finished cleaning up for the day when he answered the phone, hopeful it would be Akiko.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Raeger, it's me, Licorice."

"Oh, hey. Have you heard from Akiko? I tried calling a few times and she hasn't answered."

"That's why I'm calling. Akiko's at the clinic right now."

"What?! Why?"

"The convict apparently followed her home and he tried to- hello?"

Without letting her finish, Raeger hung up the phone and bolted out the door, not even grabbing his jacket. His heart was sinking into his stomach, trying not to think the worst. Entering the guild, he bee-lined his way to the back into the clinic. Licorice was sitting in a chair next to Akiko who was getting treated by Angela, Veronica standing behind her on the phone, most likely with the police.

Akiko looked up at Raeger, who was still trying to catch his breath, a bead of sweat running down the side of his face as he examined her condition. Her messy hair covered her tear-stained cheeks and her face was red, from either the cold or from the distress. As Angela wrapped her ankle, he noticed the large tear in her skirt, her leg red from the scraped skin.

"It's a minor sprained ankle," Angela informed Akiko as she finished her wrapping, handing her a small bottle of medicine, "take these for pain every six hours, and take it easy for the next few weeks." With that, she left the room with Veronica, still chatting on the phone.

"I'll leave you two alone," Licorice smiled, giving Akiko a hug before leaving the room.

Raeger placed himself on the edge of her bed, gently taking her face in his hands, tucking loose strands behind her ears. Her gorgeous eyes were puffy and stained red from the tears, filling him up with a sadness, sending needles in his heart.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her into a gently embrace. He felt her nod as she snuggled her face in his shoulder, returning his embrace.

"I was so scared," she croaked, sniffling. He had never felt happier to see her safe, but at the same time, he had never felt more ashamed. Wanting nothing more than to love her, he knew that also meant being the man who could protect her. He could the imminent feeling of failure in his stomach as he held her tighter.

"I'm so relieved that you're safe," he whispered, pulling away from the embrace. Her cold lips quivering, he stroked them lightly with his thumb before kissing them delicately. His fingertips traced the tear in her skirt, thinking it was done by the convict. Pulling her closer for another embrace, he held her tight.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I should've been there to protect you."

"Please stop," Akiko pleaded, wiping tears from her eyes, "There's nothing you could've done. Right now, just don't let go of me."

"I won't."

Out of sight, Licorice was watching from the doorway. Smiling, she felt a strange warmth fill her heart from witnessing the small kiss Raeger had given Akiko moments before, now starting to envy the fire those two share.


	11. The Dim Glow

**Chapter Eleven: The Dim Glow  
**

The gleaming light from the morning sun gifted the frigid air with a warming glow. Employees for Margaret Farm started their work before dawn, clearing snow from the stone paths which were paved all throughout the massive property. Nadi was exploring the property with a few other workers, discussing the plan of action for springtime's landscaping designs.

Elise made her way to the frozen fountain in front of her mansion, showing off her new winter fashion with a frilly blue dress and a thick dark brown coat. Heading to town, she passed Nadi, who gave his employer his immediate attention.

"Good morning, Lady Elise," he greeted sternly.

"Morning," she replied without even a glance in his direction. She was too busy overlooking the snow covering her property, hiding it's glorious beauty from her eyes.

"Heading to town, miss?"

"Why, yes, I'm off to visit Lillie. Oh, please be sure to consider the new flower beds for spring time, Nadi."

"Of course. Before you leave, can I ask you for something?"

"What is it? Do you need more supplies?" Elise seemed irritated for his question stalled her strip to town.

"Could you pass my regards on to Akiko?"

"Akiko?" Her eyes narrowed, scowling at the mention of her very name. _Don't tell me she's got another man at her heels!_

"Yes, she should be still be at the clinic, and I'm afraid I won't have time to visit her before she leaves for home."

"Oh, why, yes of course." Elise was unaware of the previous night's event, although she pretended to be in the know.

"Thank you, Lady Elise." With that, Nadi returned to his conversation with the other employees, allowing Elise to resume her stroll into Oak Tree Town.

Making her way down the magnificent stone steps which led directly into Oak Tree Town, Elise felt robbed of her good start for the day. Her imagination racing from her fabricated theories of Nadi's favor, her frustration rose. _Could Nadi be falling for Akiko? After she already had Kamil and Raeger? Who's next?!_

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she caught a glimpse of Raeger's restaurant, which was oddly closed for the day. Turning her nose up in the air, she continued to make her way to the Inn. She had no ill feelings toward Raeger, but it reminded her once again of Akiko, deepening her fowl mood.

"Lillie!" Elise shouted as she threw the entrance doors wide open. The inn was almost empty for many of the tourists had left very early that morning. Lillie came down the stairs, carrying a couple of freshly cleaned pillows.

"Elise!" Lillie called back with concern. "Is everything alright?"

"No, everything is _not_ alright!"

"Calm down, you're making a scene." Lillie guided her away from the front doors. "Okay, now what's going on?" Elise quickly explained her frustration, completely forgetting to ask why Akiko was in the clinic to begin with.

"Elise, you and your erratic imagination," Lillie laughed, "Akiko's in the clinic because she-"

"Akiko's in the clinic?"

The girls turned to face the interrupting voice at the bottom of the stairs. It was Kamil, his expression filled with worry from overhearing their conversation. Elise's fowl attitude quickly melted away from the sight of her knight in shining armor, regardless of his expression.

"Oh, yes!" Elise exclaimed dramatically, portraying her fictitious concern to Kamil. "The poor dear! I was just informed of her condition. Oh, the night took unexpected turns, left and right! Poor Angela, tending to her bloody wounds!"

"WHAT?!" Kamil felt a dagger pierce his chest, his worry for Akiko increasing. Lillie sighed, a little annoyed with Elise's over exaggeration.

"She just has a sprained ankle and a few scratches," Lillie corrected calmly, easing Kamil's anxiety, "Angela insisted she stay the night because it was too late for her to be taken home. She'll probably be leaving early this afternoon, when it's a little warmer outside."

"Oh, thank heaven," Kamil sighed heavily with relief, "but what happened?"

"Yes, what happened?" Elise butted in, also curious about the predicament, placing her clenched fists on her hip as she looked to Lillie, her expression demanding an immediate response.

"That convict we've been all been looking out for," Lillie's tone was nervous as she felt backed into a corner by Elise, "he was seen at the trade depot early yesterday and he followed Akiko to her farm and attacked her." Elise's expression softened, the unexpected feeling of sympathy taking over her. She would never wish for someone to experience something that horrible, including Akiko.

"Oh, I had no idea," Elise spoke softly, lowering her eyes towards the floor, feeling ashamed for her sudden fib of Akiko's condition.

"Well, I need to get back to work," Lillie excused herself from the group, heading back upstairs to change out pillows. "Elise, I'll try to hurry." The two had plans to visit Iris for brunch. Even though Elise heard, her eyes stayed affixed to the floor, stuck in thought.

"Elise?" Kamil broke the silence. She looked up at Kamil, her eyes glistening from hearing him call her name.

"Yes, Kamil?" she asked sweetly, quickly forgetting about the bad thoughts, wanting to be as charming as possible for him.

"Why did you lie to me about Akiko the day I returned from my trip?" Kamil's tone and expression became serious. Elise was caught off guard, never expecting to be confronted about that day. She was aware about what had happened the following day, hearing it all from Iris. A bead of sweat streamed down the side of her face as she struggled to come up with a valid and believable excuse. She didn't want her disdain for Akiko to be revealed to him.

"I- well, I was-" Elise stumbled over her words, "I was jealous..."

"Jealous?" Kamil was shocked. _Jealous of what?_

"Yes, jealous. Jealous of watching a handsome young man like yourself follow her like a lost puppy."

"Elise, I... I don't know what to say? You really think I'm handsome?" Kamil's cheeks turned pink.

"Why, yes, I do. I've always thought you were remarkably handsome." She tried turning on her charm.

"I'm flattered, Elise, really I am, but, I still don't think you had to say what you did that day."

"I know, and I wish every day since then that those words never slipped from my mouth, but I just- I didn't want to be the one who broke your heart."

"At least Lillie was honest with me. She told me everything the next morning."

"OH, she did?" A flare of anger rose in Elise's stomach. Having no clue that Lillie was the one who told him, she felt betrayed.

"Even if you had the best of intentions, you should really think about what you say to other people. Unbefitting behavior like that doesn't suit a lovely flower such as yourself." Leaving the conversation with the last word, Kamil made his way back to his room upstairs. Elise's face turn beat red, swallowing the comment he made, calling her a 'lovely flower.'

* * *

At the clinic...

Akiko sat in the small bed, reading the newspaper to pass the time. Her thick hair was down and brushed, having no motivation to do anything with it like she normally did. Her tattered dress was folded and placed at the end of the bed. Licorice had brought her a change of clothes early that morning. Now wearing a long sleeved dark green dress with an olive colored ribbon wrapped around her waist, she planned on throwing the red dress she had worn for fall attire away.

The headline of the newspaper was, of course, about the convict being caught in Oak Tree Town the night before, Akiko being briefly mentioned in the article. Her hands shook as she saw the photo of the man, flashes of the terrifying event running through her mind. Crunching the paper in her hands, she shook her head, trying to forget the crazy lustful look he had when he had her arm in his grasp. Licorice returned to the room with a glass of ice water. She had arrived early that morning; visitors weren't permitted to stay overnight with patients. She noticed Akiko's distress and grabbed the newspaper from her hands.

"Let's get our mind on other things," Licorice suggested, placing the glass of water on the small nightstand next to the bed, throwing the newspaper away. "How's your ankle feeling?"

"It's fine," Akiko replied, taking a sip of water. Angela's medicine worked wonders for pain, but Akiko didn't like being bedridden, not being able to walk on her own.

"That's good to hear." Kamil entered the room, catching the girls' attention. Holding a small bouquet of flowers, he approached Akiko's bedside with a confident smile. Licorice started to feel a little uneasy knowing Raeger was going to show up any minute to take Akiko home. She didn't want to know what would happen if Kamil stayed long enough to run into him.

"What are you doing here, Kamil?" Akiko questioned, shocked that he was there. It was obvious she wasn't pleased to see him.

"I heard what happened," he admitted, setting the bouquet atop the folded red dress, "so I came to visit."

"Thank you, that's very thoughtful, but you didn't need to bring flowers."

"Why?"

"Because we don't want you to get the wrong idea," Licorice commented sternly.

"There's no romantic intention," Kamil retorted, "is it not customary to bring flowers to a friend while they're in the hospital, wishing for a speedy recovery?"

"Yeah, but knowing _you_ -"

"Will you two just stop!" Akiko exclaimed, frustrated from the tension in the room. "Kamil, I meant that you didn't need to trouble yourself by bringing me anything. Licorice, I wish you wouldn't just jump to conclusions like that." A little put off, Licorice scowled at the comment, but ignored it to avoid tension. Kamil felt pleased from the small victory.

"If there's anything you need, please don't hesitate," Kamil stated, returning to his confident tone. Akiko sat silently, she already had Licorice, Fritz, and Raeger, she didn't desire any more help. She simply nodded at his kind gesture before turning her stare to her ankle, avoiding any further eye contact with either of them.

Before getting more awkward, Kamil decided to leave. As he left the guild, he passed Raeger who was just entering. Catching his confused glance, he picked up his pace, returning home to the inn.

"I'm sorry," Licorice apologized quietly, "I didn't mean to get so worked up about that."

"It's fine," Akiko responded, glancing at the bouquet at the foot of her bed, "I wasn't lying when I told him not to trouble himself, but I couldn't help but feel the same way you did."

"Then why did you-"

"I just wanted him to leave."

"Oh, I see." Licorice understood why she did what she did. She was simply trying to avoid an uncomfortable situation if Raeger were to show up with Kamil at her bedside.

Raeger entered the room, his cheeks red from the frigid winter air. A smile was unavoidable when Akiko caught sight of him. Her smile was returned as he greeted her with a gentle kiss on her cheek, his icy nose pressing against her skin. Acknowledging his take over, Licorice gave Akiko a quick hug before leaving, reminding her that Fritz had taken the liberty of attending to her animals early that morning. She felt a warm sensation fill her heart, knowing that she had such reliable and caring friends in her time of need.

Noticing the bouquet in the corner of his eye, Raeger's curiosity bit him. He had passed Kamil on his way in and noticed his disappointed expression.

"Did Kamil drop by?" he asked, hiding his annoyance. He didn't want to upset her at a time like this with something so trivial.

"Yes, but he didn't stay long," Akiko responded, "he just wanted to wish me a quick recovery."

"That was nice of him." His annoyed tone slipped through as he took a seat at the edge of her bed, making the side sink in.

"Does that upset you?" she had caught the change in his tone, already seeing that it bothered him. In a way, she was testing him, to see how honest he could be with her. As much as she desired to have a relationship with him, she needed to be sure the trust between was strong.

"It does," he responded earnestly as he reached for her jacket which hung over the back of the nearest chair. "It hasn't been that long since you've told him how you really felt, and I don't think you understand how much he really liked you."

"I'm pretty sure my message to him was crystal clear that day."

"Kamil was persistent and determined, I don't think he'll give up that easily. I just got you, I don't want... I just don't want to..."

Akiko gently grabbed his hand as he fought to find his words. Raeger stared at her hand before turning to face her. A lump formed in his throat as he faced her sweet smiling face, her amethyst eyes shining bright as she gazed at him.

"I'm not going anywhere," she spoke softly, squeezing his hand, "I'm finally right where I want to be." She carefully leaned in, using her grip on his hand to pull her closer to him. Stunned by her approach, he prepared to feel her lips touch his, closing his eyes and parting his lips. To his surprise, she planted her kiss on his cheek. Giggling as she pulled away, his face turned red.

"And you call _me_ the tease," he commented softly, a sheepish smile appearing on his face. With that, he stood up and helped her prepare to leave for home. Using the wooden crutch provided by Angela in one hand, she gripped tightly onto Raeger with the other. The pain in her ankle had decreased, but the crutch made it awkward for her to walk. Departing from the clinic, she left behind the tattered dress and small bouquet sitting at the end of the bed.

Just outside of the guild, Fritz was waiting with Akiko's brown horse. Thrilled by the surprise, Akiko greeted her horse with face nuzzles.

"Why did you bring him down here?" Raeger asked, stroking the horse's neck.

"Ya know how long it's gonna take ya to get Kiki up the trail?" Fritz responded, proud that he thought ahead of either of them.

"Thanks," Raeger smiled. The guys helped Akiko atop the horse with both of her legs on one side before Raeger climbed on in front of her. Nervous, she wrapped her arms around his waist tightly; she wasn't confident in his horse riding skills. She coached him until he seemed to grasp the concept, then it seemed to come naturally to him. Once she felt comfortable with letting him guide the horse without her help, she leaned against his back, locking her hands together to secure her grip.

It didn't take them long to reach her farm. He helped her off the horse before taking him inside the barn. She stood just outside her front door alone as she waited for him. Taking a slow overlook of her property, she couldn't help but feel nervous from the seemingly peaceful silence. Glancing at the wooden arch near the entrance, she could almost see a dark figure standing under it. Merely her own imagination, she tried to reassure herself, remembering that he was behind prison bars once again.

"What's wrong?" Raeger asked with concern, seeing her worried expression as he approached her door. She lowered her head, hiding the tears that were starting to form around the edges of her eyes. The moment he opened the door, she hobbled inside without answering him. Her house was just as neat as it was any other day.

 _Licorice probably stopped by with Fritz,_ she thought. _I'll have thank them both later._

"Can I ask you a favor?" Akiko asked quietly, taking in the idea of an empty house negatively.

"Anything," he replied, smiling softly, sensing she was uncomfortable.

"Could you stay with me for a while?" she turned around to see him, failing to hide the forming tears.

"I'd love to." Wiping the tears gently from her eyes with the back of his fingers, he wrapped his arms around her. Returning his embrace, she nuzzled her face in his neck, relieved to hear his answer. He didn't need an explanation as to why she desired company, he could feel her arms shaking as they held him.

* * *

Kamil slumped up the wooden stairs to the permanent tenants' floor. The words of Licorice and Akiko still echoing through his thoughts. He realized that even though his intentions seemed friendly, they did come off as they used to when he was constantly trying to get a date with her.

 _I try so hard to move on, but I didn't think it'd be so difficult_ , he thought. Denial had been lingering in his heart since the day he came back from his trip. Akiko had explained to him that her feelings for him were merely friendly and not romantic. Since then, he's been trying to convince himself that he no longer had feelings for her anymore, but it's been proven to be in vain.

He was unlocking his door when he noticed Nadi coming up the stairs. As usual, he looks exhausted and frustrated; working for Elise was never easy.

"Back so early?" Kamil asked in a friendly tone. Nadi usually kept to himself, especially when he was home, so no one at the inn ever really got the chance to talk to him.

"There's not much I do for Lady Elise in the winter time," Nadi responded in a cold tone. "How's Akiko?"

"Akiko?" Kamil's chest tightened, as if Nadi knew what he was thinking. "She's doing great, probably just getting home by now."

"Something troubling you?"

"No, not at all."

"If there's something weighing on your mind, it's best to deal with it quickly."

"What if you don't know how?"

"One can only do one's best." Nadi opened his door and entered his room as if he was avoiding a deep conversation. Kamil just stood there, taking in the advice he was just given.

 _I did do my best_ , he thought, _and she still chose him over me. Maybe that's it. I tried my best and it just didn't work out._ Entering his room, he sat on his bed, staring at the random flowers which decorated his room. He felt a small weight being relieved from his mind, accepting that not everything was meant to be the way he wanted. Smiling as the relaxed a bit more, he decided that finding a new love interest would be best for everyone involved.

But who?

* * *

Raeger threw a few pieces of firewood into the fireplace to get some heat going. Akiko sat at the large oak dining table, sipping at some milk tea which he had brewed up for both of them. Doing so, he found a few pieces of her famous strawberry chocolate cake in the refrigerator, hoping to have a slice later on.

Getting the fire going, he took a seat at the table, his tea still hot. She noticed that he didn't have the restaurant open today and questioned him why. He responded by telling her that his concern for her would make it too overwhelming to work. Apologizing for her inconvenience to him, she felt more like a burden.

"It was my choice," he reassured, "you're never a burden." Mustering a small smile, her stomach rumbled loudly. It had been hours since she had eaten last. Without saying a word, Raeger got up from the table and started looking around her kitchen, pulling out a few pots and a couple bowls.

"Raeger, you really don't have to," Akiko pleaded. He simply turned around and winked at her, self-consciously hoping that she didn't mind if he used her kitchen. After he found the few ingredients he needed, he got right to work, mincing herbs and dicing vegetables. The pot boiling with water, he mixed it all together and then got to work on the meat. Using her uncomfortable crutch, she came up next to him and stirred the pot mixture. Glancing at her next to him, he simply smiled at her resistance. With her injured leg and unstable emotional state, he felt as though she should just rest, but he also knew she didn't like feeling completely catered to; it made her feel useless and helpless, two things she hated.

Every few stirs, the aroma of the mixture filled her nostrils, sending warm waves down her body. It always amazed her when he used so few ingredients and was able to make a dish so delicious. Urging her to be cautious, he plopped the sliced meat into the mixture. Allowing her to continue with her slow stirring, he washed what few dishes he used, watching her carefully.

She didn't seem like her usual self, but that was to be expected. The glow in her eyes was now dull and her forced smiles had a sadness to them. He knew she was trying hard to suppress what happened the day before, but it wasn't healthy to hold it in. He wasn't going to force her to talk about it, but he didn't want her to hide from it forever.

"That should be good," he said softly, reaching over her to turn off the burner. Grabbing the two bowls he had gotten out earlier, he filled each both evenly before adding some finely shredded cheese. Akiko sat back down in her seat at the table as he placed her meal in front of her, steaming hot. Letting it cool for a few minutes, she gulped a spoonful of the stew, feeling the heat work its way down to her stomach. The sweet smile returning to her face as she swallowed another heaping spoonful.

"I know it's not much, but I hope it's good," Raeger stated modestly, returning her smile as he watched the glow in her eyes slowly get brighter with every mouthful.

"It's delicious!" she exclaimed.

Raeger was able to get a slice of his favorite cake once dinner was finished. His first bite reminded him of her lips the first night he kissed her, sending a shiver down his spine. Akiko helped him clean up before they took a seat on the wooden floor in front of the hearth. The television was another option, but she was afraid she would see breaking news stories about the convict.

Taking a place next to her, he threw another piece of wood into the flame to keep it going. He turned to look at her and their eyes met. The orange light from the fire was being reflected off her eyes, making them an obsidian color.

"Do you want a blanket?" she whispered, gazing into his eyes. He nodded, but helped himself up before she could get it herself. Grabbing the large quilt from her bed, he returned to his place next to her, throwing it over her shoulders, snuggling under it next to her. Suddenly, he perked up, widening his eyes.

"Oh! That's right," he proclaimed, catching her attention.

"What is it?" she asked, a little concerned.

"You owe me from earlier."

"Owe you what?"

"Well, you got my hopes up. I thought I was going to get a kiss."

"Oh, that. You tease me all the time, I thought you should get a taste of your own medicine."

"So, then do I get a kiss?"

"You don't need to ask. You can kiss me anytime you want."

Wrapping his arm around her waist, he slowly pulled her towards him, placing his free hand in her hair on the back of her head. Her warm hand rested on his chest, grabbing his forearm with the other. Their eyes closed as they both parted their lips. Her pulse began racing once she felt his soft lips come into contact with hers, squeezing his shirt from excitement. He had pulled her so close to him, he could feel her beating heart against his, causing his cheeks to glow red.

When they finally pulled away, they continued their gaze into each others eyes, seeing the fire rage inside. The words 'I love you' almost escaped his lips, but he didn't want to say that now. He didn't think she was ready for that yet, not being sure if he was ready yet, either. The heat of the moment just made it tempting.

Akiko rested her head on his shoulder as she averted her gaze to the dancing flames in front of them. It didn't take long for her to drift off to sleep, with a belly full of warm stew and the warmth of the fire pulling her into dreamland. As carefully as he could, Raeger wrapped the quilt around her and carried her to bed. He wrote a note reading 'call me if you need anything,' signing his name at the bottom, and placed it next her lamp on her nightstand. He didn't have anything he needed to spend the night and he also didn't want to assume it was welcomed at this time.

Quietly closing the door behind him, he made sure it was locked before making his way home. The sun had just finished setting behind the mountain, leaving him some light to make it home. The farther he got from the farm, the more worried he became. It made him happy to see the glow in her eyes again, but it was only temporary. Hopefully, it would return on its own and remain there.

* * *

Licorice returned home at a late hour. She was at the guild, discussing with Veronica about her housing options, being fed up with living at the inn. Arriving at her door, she noticed a parcel wrapped in brown paper and tied off with twine. Confused, she picked it up and headed inside. She tore off the paper to find a book about botany, specifically about adaptation. Not having this type of book in her collection, she got excited. Opening the front cover, a folded piece of drifted to the floor. Bending down to pick it up, she read: _  
I found this book in my collection and thought you would find more use for it._  
 _Please enjoy_.

With the folded note as a flower, flattened by the book. A small purple daisy. Her heart skipped a beat as she pondered who could of left her this gift.

There was no name.


	12. Capturing Lost Light

**Chapter Twelve: Capturing Lost Light**

Over the next week or so, Licorice's eyes were glued to the pages of her new book. It had added so much for her upcoming springtime research. Setting the book down proved to be difficult, sometimes falling asleep with it covering her face. She even took it with her when she went up to Akiko's farm with Fritz, who didn't take notice to the new book. Akiko noticed the book, but she had yet to be informed on how it came into her friend's possession.

"That book must be really interesting," Akiko commented as she set down a couple cups of tea. She was able to walk for a short time without her crutch before her ankle would start to bother her. She took advantage of this, walking more and more each day.

"Hmm?" Licorice hummed, grabbing the cup, "oh, the book? It's written by one of my favorite botanists! It's great! It'll add to my upcoming research this spring."

"So, then where did you get it? The general store doesn't carry books like that. Did you special order it?"

"Oh, uh- no."

"What? Did it just magically appear in front you or something?"

"Well, as a matter of fact..."

Akiko set down her cup of tea, raising an eyebrow. Blushing, Licorice pulled out the mysterious note, which she kept in the back of the book, and slid it to the middle of the table. Meeting her halfway, her friend picked up, reading it carefully before looking up with confusion. The same purple daisy gently floating down from the paper as it unfolded.

"There's no name?" Akiko asked, returning the note.

"No, nothing," Licorice responded, just as perplexed, "trying to figure out who sent it to me has been rattling my brain."

"Well, who do you think it is?"

"The first person who came to mind was Kamil, you know, because of the flower."

"It better not have been Kamil." Akiko was fully aware about Licorice's disdain for Kamil, especially after the confrontation they had when he returned from his business trip a while back. There would also be an awkward tension if Kamil were to switch his romantic interest from her to her best friend.

"Let's hope not, but I also thought maybe it was Nadi."

"What? Nadi? Why?"

"Sometimes we catch each other in the hallway and we chat for a bit, so he knows I'm a botanist and how much I enjoy my work. Maybe he just had this lying around and thought I would like it?"

"I guess that's a possibility, but why would he have a book about botany? More specifically, plant adaptation?"

"He does work for Elise, and she has many exotic plants flourishing in her gardens, so it makes sense."

"A little, but what about Klaus?"

"K-Klaus?" Licorice's face turned red from the idea of receiving a gift from Klaus.

"Yeah, we've been to his house a few times, and with the gossip queen being his friend, I'm sure he knows that you like this kind of stuff."

"He doesn't know where I live, though."

"Psh, he could've easily gotten that information from Lillie or even Iris herself."

"Yeah, maybe." She clutched the book in her hands, bringing it closer to her chest, as if it were made even more special. The idea Klaus possibly being the mystery man sent her heart aflutter.

Akiko was about to suggest Fritz, but the calligraphy in the note was far more superior to his and the grammar didn't match. Not to mention, he didn't exactly have books just sitting around his house, and if he did, it wouldn't be anything to do with science. Even so, she did have a small hope that maybe he found the book and had someone write the note for him to hide his identity, but she wasn't sure if he was smart enough to come up with something that elaborate.

"So, we have Kamil, Nadi, and Klaus as the possible candidates?" Akiko asked, counting them on her fingers as she listed their names.

"Raeger could've sent it," Licorice teased, making Akiko annoyed.

"I highly doubt that," Akiko's irritation was apparent.

"I was only joking."

"Who do you hope it was?"

Licorice glanced outside the window, watching the small snow flurries drift to the snow covered ground, adding a fresh layer. As she gazed, she noticed Fritz outside, helping Akiko with her livestock. He was done in the barn and moved over to the coop to tend to the chickens and rabbits.

"I don't know," Licorice replied softly, bringing her cup to her lips, "maybe it's better if I don't know."

Smiling at her response, Akiko couldn't help but sensing sorrow in her answer. _Was she hoping it was Fritz?_

"Has Raeger been visiting you often?" Licorice asked, changing the subject.

"Yes, every night," Akiko responded, her cheeks glowing red as she thought of his smiling face, "we make dinner and then he usually stays until I fall asleep."

"Why not just let him stay the night?"

"With work in the morning, he'd have to get up early to get home in time, and walking down the mountain that early is just too cold. Also, I don't think I'm ready for that just yet."

"I understand, but I'm sure it will happen soon. I mean, if he's been over here, making dinner for you and then relaxing with you, that counts as a date."

"What?! Are you serious?"

"Yeah, I'm serious! I don't even know if you want to call it dating anymore, you two are practically a couple. I'm surprised you haven't started calling him your boyfriend yet."

"Well, that's because- I'm not sure if-" Akiko's face turned bright red as she struggled to find words. Licorice was right, they basically acted like a couple, but they've only had one date together. Right?

 _Do all those nights together really count as dates?_ she thought, questioning her friend's logic. _It would make sense, I guess._ As her self-questioning ceased, she noticed Licorice's occasional glances to the window.

"What do you think about Fritz?" Akiko asked, rotating her ankle under the table to loosen it up.

"There's no way he could've given me the book," Licorice scoffed with a wry smile, "the guy hardly has any books in his house, let alone a science book."

"I didn't mean that. I meant, well, you two seem to spend a lot of time together."

"Y-yeah, I guess we have."

"You used to think of him as the village idiot, and now, it seems that when you're not with me or at the orchard, you're with him."

"He's changed a lot."

Akiko swiftly turned her head to Licorice who was staring into her cup of tea. Her eyes had confusion to them, she herself wondering how she truly felt about the low-end farmer.

"Changed how?" Akiko asked, keeping the fact that Fritz cared deeply for her friend in the back of her mind.

"He's done so much to up his game," Licorice explained, a cheerful smile appearing on her face, "he's been taking on more orders from vendors, fixing up his farm, and he's even started to cook for himself. It's almost like that child of a farmer grew up into a man."

"You sound so smitten!" Akiko giggled, happy to hear all that come from her. Licorice blushed at her comment, but said nothing, only confirming her feelings. Blushing, she turned away, feeling her heart rate speed up.

 _There's no way I could be falling for Fritz,_ Licorice thought, _he's just so... so.._

"Okay, so we know Fritz couldn't have given you the book," Akiko burst out, interrupting her friend's thought process, "looks like you've got three candidates."

"Yeah," Licorice responded, affixing her gaze back to the book, "but how do we find out?"

* * *

Several hours later...

"A purple flower, huh?" Raeger said with a puzzled look, staying concentrated on the meat grilling on the stove as he listened to Akiko's story.

"Not just any purple flower, a purple daisy," Akiko corrected him, still stuck on the romantic tale of the infamous book as she stirred the pot of boiling potatoes next to him. "We don't any idea who gave it to her."

"It was Klaus," he stated bluntly, his expression neutral.

"H-how would you know?!" she exclaimed, shocked that he would've guessed so quickly.

"The guy is practically buried alive in books, and I wouldn't be surprised if he had a good variety of flowers laying around."

"Then why would he give it to Licorice?"

"Haven't you already told about the time he escorted her through the mountain? And you two have been to his place for tea a few times, right? Perhaps he's taken a liking to her."

"Maybe so, then why not sign his name?"

"Heh, there's nothing wrong with a bit of mysterious romance." He turned to face her, giving her a wink. She blushed at his playful gesture, returning it with her captivating smile, sending his heart racing.

Akiko drained the potatoes to prepare them for mashing. Watching Raeger at her side, Licorice's words replayed in her mind.

 _"You two are practically a couple. I'm surprised you haven't started calling him your boyfriend yet."_

Mixing the potatoes with the butter, salt, and milk, she contemplated whether he felt the way she did about their ' _situation_.' All she could do was ask.

"Raeger," she spoke softly, embarrassment taking over, "all this time we've spent together this past week and a half, do you consider those 'dates'?"

"H-huh?" he stuttered, caught off-guard, almost dropping the meat as he turned it over. "Well, yeah, I guess so."

Akiko's face turned bright red at his comment, realizing that it meant they've had multiple dates consecutively.

"I'm sorry if they seem so informal," he apologized softly, "To be honest, any time we spend together I consider special. Dates, to me, are used to get to know the person they're infatuated with. I already know you pretty well, and well..." He blushed as he swallowed a large lump in his throat. Akiko's face also turned red as she waited in anticipation for remainder of his statement.

"I, uh- 'infatuation' doesn't describe how I feel... My feelings for you are, well, deeper than that.."

Using her free hand, Akiko placed her hand on the side of his face, leaned over, and gently kissed his open cheek. His eyes widened with a moderate shock from her small affectionate gesture.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," she whispered in his ear, pulling away from his face. He lowered his head.

"You need to do it right," he muttered under his breath.

"What did you s-" her question was abruptly stopped when she felt him suddenly grab her wrist, dropping the masher in the bowl. Gently spinning her around, he placed his hands on the counter, one on each side of her, his face close hers. Her heart raced, drowning in his soft, emerald eyes as a mischievous smile smeared across his face.

"If you're going to kiss me, you need to do it right," he spoke softly, his lips almost touching hers. She could feel her arms trembling, her heart ready to burst through her chest.

 _He's never been so intense before,_ she thought. In a way, she liked it for it sent warm waves down her spine. Before she could respond to him, he pressed his lips against her, kissing her deeply, deeper than ever before. A small moan escaped her mouth, squeezing the edge of the counter she was pinned against. His body slowly came closer to hers, their chests nearly touching. Removing one of his hands from the counter and placing it on her shoulder, he pulled in closer, making the kiss deeper, another moan coming from her lips.

"The meat's going to burn," she gasped quietly, pulling away from him, her face flustered. Clenching her hands from the excitement, she could feel her pulse in her fingers. Panting softly, he smiled at her comment before delicately kissing her once more. Turning off the heat, he removed the pan from the stove.

"I would never let that happen," he whispered playfully in her ear.

Akiko was still leaning against the counter, bewildered. His kisses had never been so passionate. As she brought her fingertips to her lips, she could feel them trembling. The butterflies in her stomach refused to subside as she watched him plate the food, contemplating what the meaning behind the sudden rise in the fire between them could be.

"Are you going to sit down and eat?" Raeger asked, breaking her thought process. Her gaze suddenly averted to the already set table and then to him as he took his seat at the table. Blushing, she placed herself next to him at the table, the aroma from her plate sending warm vibes to her stomach.

It didn't take long before both plates were cleaned. Doing her best to avoid an awkward silence or, possibly, confrontation about the kiss they shared moments before dinnertime, Akiko cleared the plates and glasses from the dinner table and began to wash them. Raeger stayed at the table as he watched her, almost stunned. She had barely spoken a word during dinner, making him worry about his actions.

She stood at the sink silently, not even giving him a sweet glance as she normally did. As quietly as he could, he got up from his chair and embraced her from behind, resting his head on her shoulder with his lips barely caressing her ear.

"I didn't meant to make you uncomfortable," he whispered softly, "I just thought you understood my feelings for you."

"I do," Akiko whispered back nervously, feeling his warm breath on her neck, "I wasn't sure how to react to it, that's all. No one's ever kissed my like that before."

"Did you like it?" His question made her even more nervous.

"Y-yes."

"Good." Placing a tender kiss on her shoulder, he released her from his embrace and started to dry the clean dishes. Speeding up the process, they were able to relax with each other a little sooner than normal.

"You know," she spoke up as she watched him threw a few more pieces of wood into the fire, catching his attention, "I wouldn't mind watching a movie or something."

Raeger's eyes widened, shocked at her suggestion. A relaxed smile fell to his face as he gazed at her. He didn't mind cuddling with her in front of the fire every night, in fact, he really enjoyed it, but it made him happy to know that she was eager to start enjoying more activities.

"Sure," he responded, smiling, "what kind of movie would you like to watch?" She glanced over by her television where a stack of movies were placed on a shelf under it. He had dropped them off a few days ago, in case she ever felt like watching anything to drown out the silence.

"I don't want to watch a scary one," she stated coldly, shuffling through the cases.

"Of course not," he chuckled, memories of her small shrieks from their first date flooding to his mind. "We should watch a happier movie."

"Oh!" she gasped. "I want to watch this one." Lightheartedly, she approached him, handing him the movie. He took it from her hands, glancing at the cover. A young woman in an elegant dress in the arms of tall man covered in black clothing.

"That's not one of my movies," he commented while he prepared it for watching.

"It might've been one that Licorice brought over for me."

"I see, well, it looks good."

Raeger sat himself on the sofa as the movie started, his arm stretched out over the back of it. Akiko nestled into him, resting her hand on his chest as he removed his arm from the back of the sofa and wrapped it around her shoulders, pulling her close to him. Her heart began to race as the comfort of his partial embrace soothed her.

The movie was about a young princess who felt trapped in her own world, with no freedom to do what she wished for herself. Constantly being told what she should eat, where she should go, and who she should love. The love she felt for her country tamed her temptation to flee and attempt to start a new life as a nobody. Over time, she grew sad.

One day, she met a young man dressed all in black, formal clothing with ink black hair and dark eyes. His expression was cold and serious when she met him at a local town festival when she snuck out of her castle. Caught by her gentle yet timid nature, he escorted her safely through the festival. The moment he discovered she was the princess, he took her back home, scolding her for being careless.

The nobles they passed along the way gasped at seeing them together. Confused, the princess clung to her handsome escort, embarrassed and ashamed that she had worried the people of the castle. Once she got back home safely, she thanked him, requesting to know his name, revealing that he is the soon to be king of a neighboring country. Stunned, she apologized for inconveniencing him for something so trivial.

After that, most of her time was spent thinking about him. His handsome faced constantly flashed through her mind. For diplomatic reasons, a visit to his country was arranged. The excitement to see him was overbearing, but was soon let down when he greeted her with the same cold expression.

The time they spent together was short, but the young king soon found himself falling in love with the kind-hearted princess. He could see her loneliness in her eyes each time he gazed into them, a feeling which he shared now that his parents were both dead.

Exchanging turns to travel the other's country, the princess and the king frequently visited each other, the love between them growing deeper. Finding that her presence filled the void in his heart, he enjoyed seeing her smiling face and sweet laughter. For her, he took her to new places, gave her new experiences, dispelling the sadness she once felt. However, the bureaucrats and nobles of the princess's kingdom saw the young king as troublesome, doing what they could to halt their time together. They even began to convince their own king that it would be ill advised to allow his daughter and the young man to be with one another.

The princess's father soon forbade his daughter to ever see the young king again, claiming that his presence was doing harm to the country. As much as it hurt the princess, she obeyed her father, mostly for her own country's sake. The country which she loved so much.

The two lovers resorted to detailed letters about their lives, making it seem as though they never left the other one's side. This didn't last long, for the young king missed his princess as he longed to hear her sweet voice again. The princess's loneliness only grew deeper the longer she went without seeing him.

The king's right hand man and the princess's butler supported their love and found a small house which lied on the border between the countries. Escorting them their, the princess and king had a secret place all to themselves.

The first time seeing her in weeks, the king yanked the princess into his arms, embracing her tightly as he claimed his love for her. At this moment, Akiko glanced up at Raeger who also happened to be looking down at her, his eyes soft and gentle. She clutched onto his shirt tightly as she heard the romance in the film get stronger.

"Raeger," she whispered softly, her eyes reflecting the light from the television, "I-"

Supporting her chin with his finger, Raeger caught her words with a gentle kiss. Slightly pulling on his shirt, her heart skipped a beat.

"Yes?" he whispered back, pulling away, meeting her gaze.

"I feel so safe with you," she muttered as she nuzzled her head into his chest. His expression instantly became sullen, a knot forming in his stomach. Thinking back to the night she was attacked, he couldn't help still feel the guilt which haunted him.

 _What if I can't protect you?_ he thought, his muscles tightening. _No. She's happy now. I need to find a way to let this go._ Glancing down at her, a smile returned to his face as he watched her enjoying the movie with him. Suddenly hearing a small gasp escape her, he averted his gaze back to the television, his eyes widening a little bit. The two characters in the film were kissing to romantic music as they held each other close.

Raeger rested his cheek atop Akiko's head, stroking her soft, thick hair. As he did so, she wrapped her arm around his waist, pulling herself closer to him.

 _Is this what's it's like to be happy with someone else?_

* * *

Akiko awoke in a dark room. Shocked by her sudden loneliness, she sat straight up and looked around for Raeger. He was nowhere to be seen, along with anything else. The darkness in the room became overwhelming, making her chest feel tight. She tried to stand up, but her muscles felt heavy and stiff.

 _What's going on?_

Trying to feel her way around, she couldn't find anything to grasp onto, not even the wall, so she walked aimlessly. She never ran into anything, she started feeling nervous as she got the feeling she wasn't even at her own home anymore. Fear began to set in her stomach, realizing that she was alone.

Completely alone.

Suddenly, a flash of red light filled the room. She saw a dark figure standing only feet away from her; the white in his eyes were strongly visible. A menacing laugh could be heard as the red light flashed often, almost like lighting flashes. Turning to run, she found her stiff and heavy muscles were keeping her from going anywhere. The fear in her stomach grew as the man stepped closer to her. Panicking, she tripped over her own feet, falling onto the hard floor.

"No, please," her voice was hoarse and quiet, her throat felt swollen, making it hard for her to say anything. There was nothing she could do as she watched the silhouette of the man get closer to her, step by step. Her body began to shake, the fear in her stomach spreading throughout her whole body. A strong hand reached out and grasped onto her elbow, pulling her body up towards him.

"NO, stop!" she screamed, but the man didn't stop as his malicious laugh only grew louder, his eyes striking terror down to her bones.

Akiko...

A faint voice could be heard in the back of her head, so faint, she barely even noticed it.

"Akiko..."

The voice got louder. She heard it this time, widening her eyes, glancing around the room, searching for the source of the soft voice. She sawing nothing.

"Akiko!"

Her eyes shot open to find Raeger, barely hovering above her as she lied on her back with worry in his eyes. Her body still shaking, she sat up with a start.

"Where am I?!" she demanded, unable to control the volume of her shaky voice.

"You're at home," he responded, his expression of worry growing, "I just carried you to bed when you suddenly started squirming in your sleep. You screamed.. I got worried."

I.. I was... dreaming? Only dreaming?

Tears welled up in her eyes, averted her gaze to her lap, watching her fingers tremble. She tried to control her emotions, afraid of letting him see, but it was too late. Heavy sobs fell from her mouth as she buried her face in her hands. Raeger's arms quickly wrapped around her tightly.

"What's wrong?" he spoke quietly, the guilt in his stomach knotting up, "please, tell me."

"I can't," she croaked, her sobs making it difficult for her to speak.

"Why not?"

"I-I just c-can't."

"I won't just leave you like this. You can tell me anything."

He waited a few minutes for her sobbing to fade away, stroking her hair for comfort. Eventually, she wrapped her arms around his neck softly, hiding her face in his neck; she afraid of him seeing her weak like this.

"I-I'm afraid," her voice was soft and quiet,"I'm afraid of being alone."

"I know," he responded, already aware that she didn't like being by herself lately.

"No, you don't. I can't stand being by myself. It makes me feel like I'm not really safe." He winced at her words, almost as if she knew what he was feeling, even though she had no clue.

"I'm sorry... that's my fault."

"What?"

"I couldn't protect you that, like I promised I would. Of all people, he went after _you_... and out of all people, I could do nothing for you."

Akiko shoved herself away from him, glaring up at him with tears still streaming down her face. Raeger gazed back her with a guilty expression, feeling undeserving of her love.

"Don't say that!" she shouted. "I've already told you, there was nothing you could've done. There's nothing _anybody_ could've done!"

He averted his face away from hers, the guilt refusing to subside. Disliking him avoiding her eyes, she placed her hands on the sides of his face, gently turning his face back to hers.

"Did you hear me? I said it doesn't matter! I still want to be with you..."

Bringing his hands up to his face, he grabbed her wrists and released her grasp on his face. Slowly leaning in, he planted a small kiss on her forehead.

"I never said anything about leaving you," he responded, mustering a small smile, trying to reassure her. "I just need to do better if we're going to be together like this."

Akiko smiled at this response, feeling the warmth from his hands as they held her wrists gently. Seeing her smile only made his grow bigger, the guilt fading away. Feeling the tension in the air change, she giggled slightly, making him slightly confused.

"You know," she blushed, trying not to break their gaze, "if you're going to kiss me, you need to do it right." His eyes widened, then his face relaxed, pink filling his cheeks.

"You're right," he responded apologetically, wrapping one arm around her waist as he place his other hand on the back of her neck. She welcomed his lips as he pulled them into a deep kiss. As his lips moved with hers, she clutched onto his forearm, the warm waves flushing her body once again.

* * *

The window rustled as a gust of wind roared through Oak Tree Tree.

"Uhnn..."

Licorice awoke slowly, her lamp still on from reading her new book which covered her face. Her eyes slowly glanced to her window, the sky black.

 _When did I fall asleep?_ she thought, taking a deep breath before yawning. Suddenly, her eyes shot open as she quickly sat up. _What was that?!_

Grabbing her book, she stuck her nose in the middle of the pages, taking another deep breath. A mixture of fragrant, yet faint, aromas filled her nose. She lowered the book onto her lap, her face becoming flustered.

"Klaus...?"


	13. Misguided Longing

**Chapter Thirteen: Misguided Longing**

"Hmmmm... No, no. That won't do."

Klaus set down the vile of perfume, plugging it up with a cork. His new formula had yet to be perfected to his liking. Being the master perfumer he was, attempting a new fragrance was a simple task. However, this new formula proved to be more difficult than normal. Jotting down a few notes, he walked over to his stash of fragrances, which included anything from flowers and herbs to honey and wild crops. Stroking his index finger back and forth on his chin in thought, he plucked a small purple daisy from his collection and gave a small smile.

His pondering was interrupted with a knock at his door. Making his way to the front door, he set the daisy back in its place. As he approached closer, he could hear the voices of a woman and a young man. He opened the door with a welcoming grace, inviting the two inside. It was Iris and her younger brother, Mistel.

"Good afternoon, Iris, Mistel," Klaus greeted.

"Klaus," Iris acknowledged him before returning to her conversation with her brother, "I don't understand why it matters to you so much."

"I just wish you would stay out of my affairs, sister," Mistel retorted with frustration, "oh, hello, Klaus."

"What on earth could you two be bickering about now?" Klaus sighed, closing the door behind them as he helped Iris with her coat.

"Mistel had a nice lady friend over," Iris informed with a mischievous tone, "and all I did was have a nice conversation with her."

"You scared her off!" Mistel nearly shouted, his frustration growing. "You made me seem like some sort of child to her."

"Oh, please. I simply wanted to know why such a beautiful young lady would be interested in someone such as you. That's all."

"Iris, you-"

"Enough," Klaus firmly demanded, "Iris, why do feel the need to meddle?"

"Meddle?" Iris seemed offended. "I'm simply trying to find inspiration for my new romance novel. It's not easy when one is lacking a love-life herself."

"So, you have to butt in with mine?" Mistel put in, taking a seat at the table as Klaus prepared tea. "Why not just talk to Klaus?"

"Oh, that's right," Iris's expression became intrigued as she took her place at the table, glancing at Klaus, "I forgot about your little gift to Licorice several weeks ago. Have you even seen the girl since then, Klaus?"

Klaus, ignoring both of their words, served their tea before taking his own place at the table. He averted his gaze to his window, watching the light powder float to the ground, adding another layer to the snow-covered landscape. Calmy, he took a sip of his hot tea before Iris asked him again.

"Klaus, have you spoken to Licorice since you've gifted her the book?" she asked, dropping a few cubes of sugar in her tea.

"The girl doesn't know the book was from me," he responded quietly, facing Iris. "Besides, I never said I did it out of romantic intent. I simply no longer needed the book and thought she would enjoy more than I could."

"Right," she responded, slightly rolling her eyes, "You're no fun."

"It's okay, sister," Mistel spoke, "Gift-giving among friends without romantic intention is perfectly acceptable. Besides, she's not the one he fancies."

Klaus narrowed his eyes as he turned to Mistel, who was giving him a mischievous look, one that resembled his sister's. His brow furrowed, annoyed with the topic. Iris, on the other hand, nearly leaped out of her seat from the unexpected information about her long-time friend.

"Is it true, Klaus?" she asked excitedly. "Do you fancy one of the many maidens in Oak Tree Town?"

"Of course not," he retorted, switching his glare from Mistel to Iris, "I merely said she was a charming girl."

"So you _do_ fancy someone! You must tell me! No, wait. I bet I can guess who it is."

"Iris, that's enough."

"Lillie? No. Oh! What about Elise? No, of course not. Wait, what about Angela? Or Agate? No? Hmm, well, then what about-"

There was a sudden silence in the room as Iris's list of ladies came to an abrupt halt. Mistel's smirk remained on his face as he got the feeling his sister finally figured it out. Klaus began to feel nervous as he watched Iris's expression became confused.

"No, don't tell me," she said quietly, "Akiko?"

"As I said before, I merely stated that she was a charming girl," Klaus responded, sipping from his hot cup, "I never said anything about having feelings for the young woman."

"But Klaus, she's with that chef. What was his name again?... oh, that's right! Raeger, I believe."

"I'm aware of that, and I have no problem with it."

"This is perfect for my book! Unrequited love always catches the reader's heart!"

Klaus sighed, leaning against the back of his chair in defeat. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Mistel chuckling quietly to himself as he watched his sister's excitement grow from the concept.

"See what you've done?" Klaus whispered to Mistel, his brow revealing anger his in expression.

"It's all good fun," Mistel responded.

Returning his attention to the window once again, he began to consider all that had happened to Akiko in the past couple of months. Her struggle with Kamil's affections for her, which led to the stressful confrontation at the trade depot. Out of that, she got a date with the man of her dreams, but shortly after was attacked by the sexual offender in her own home, causing an injury to her ankle, making it difficult to work on her own farm. From what he heard through the grape vine, she had just started coming back into town only a couple days ago with her horse.

 _I haven't even checked in on the poor girl,_ he thought, staring at his rippling reflection in his tea with concern. _She's lucky to have such great friends to keep her company, and I can't even muster a small phone call to express my concern or empathy. Does poor social skills come with age?_

* * *

"Okay, open wide!"

Raeger held out a spoon of a new recipe he was testing out with Akiko. She sat on the counter, watching him prepare the dish from start to finish. He was always trying to mix up his menu every once in a while with new dishes, but only if he could get them right by adding his own twist to it. She opened her mouth as wide as she could, anticipating the flavor as she softly swung her feet back and forth. He carefully placed the spoon in her mouth, pulling it out slowly as she closed her lips around it. Her eyes lit up.

"Wow, that's delicious!" she expressed, her eyes sparkling with delight and satisfaction. He took his own bite of the dish, flipping the food to each side of his mouth as he chewed.

"Hmm, I don't know," he swallowed, disappointed, "it could use more salt, and maybe a dash of rosemary."

"Nothing's ever good enough for you. It's really great!" Raeger smiled at her words, somehow giving him more confidence. He approached her as she still sat atop the counter, placing one hand on her lower back and other on the counter top, leaning against it for support. His face relaxed, pulling her a little closer to him.

"I'm glad to hear it," he whispered, his face close to hers. Blushing, she turned her face away from his, failing to hide a shy smile. Smirking at her shyness, he gently grabbed her chin and turned her face to his again. He gently stroke her soft lips with his thumb before capturing them in a kiss. Hesitating for a moment, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a deeper kiss.

Their moment was interrupted when a tiny little bell rang, indicating that a customer had walked through the front door. He tried with all his might to pull away, but he was addicted to the taste of her sweet lips. When he finally ended their kiss, he quickly dashed out from the kitchen, leaving her heart racing. She missed him already, but knew that customers needed his priority, especially on a slow day.

As he turned the corner to the front desk, he was surprised to see Klaus waiting, browsing at the menu. Hoping he didn't keep him waiting long, Raeger slapped on the most welcoming smile, which was easy to do after locking lips with Akiko.

"Afternoon, Klaus!" Raeger greeted cheerfully. "What can I do for you today?" Klaus nodded in return to his greeting, his eyes affixed on the menu.

"I'm looking for something like a cake or a pie," Klaus responded, lifting his head to meet Raeger.

"Oh, sure," Raeger replied. He wasn't used to take out orders that called for an entire cake or pie. "It will take me about an hour for a cake and two hours for a pie. What kind are you looking for?"

"Well, I'm not quite sure what she likes..."

"What? Who?" Raeger's interest suddenly peaked, under the impression that maybe he could be talking about Licorice. His suspicion was that Klaus gave her the book, perhaps he was making another move.

Before Klaus could answer him, his attention was distracted by Akiko who came out from the back of the kitchen. There was a lighthearted skip to her step as she came to Raeger's side behind the counter, her broad, captivating smile brightening up the room. Klaus swallowed a hard lump in his throat, the new blue dress she was wearing complementing her eyes.

"Hello, Klaus," her voice had a sweet ring to it, "it's been awhile, hasn't it?"

"Oh, yes," he responded, his cheeks turning slightly pink from her smile. "I hope you've been well."

"Yes, I have. Thank you so much!" She then turned her attention to Raeger. "Sounds like you'll be busy for a moment, so I'm going upstairs for a minute."

"Alright," Raeger's eyes relaxed at the sight of her.

"See you later, Klaus," she said as she headed her way upstairs, leaving him speechless. He never expected to run into her so quickly.

"Yes," was all Klaus could say as he watched her presence fade away. He turned his attention back to Raeger, who looked as though he was in heaven. "You two seem very compatible with one another."

"Yeah," Raeger sighed heavenly, "Oh! Right, your order-"

"Never mind my order. I've changed my mind."

"Oh, alright," Raeger shrugged, then his expression and tone became serious. "Klaus, I need to ask you something."

"Yes?"

"Did you give Licorice the book?"

Klaus's eyes widened at the sudden upbringing of the book. He never expected someone such as Raeger would know of such a thing. His brow furrowed slightly as he answered.

"As a matter of fact, I did. Is she enjoying it?"

"Yeah, I guess so, but, what do you have planned?"

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Licorice is under the impression that the book was given to her by a secret admirer."

"Oh, I see. Well, she'll disappointed to know that those were not my intentions. Now, if you don't mind, I need to return to my work." With that, he turned on his heel and headed back home, leaving Raeger feeling unsure about what to do with the information he was just given. Looking towards the stairs which led to his room, he remembered Akiko was waiting for him upstairs, yet he never heard his door open or close.

"How much did you hear?" Raeger asked, Akiko quietly made her way down with a sullen expression.

"Everything," she replied, her eyes affixed to the floor. "What should we do?"

* * *

Licorice walked out of the Inn, her book clutched in her arm. She tightened her coat the minute she felt the sudden chill bite at her cheeks. Though spring and summer were her favorite seasons, she loved hearing the compression of the snow beneath her feet as she left a trail of footprints in the soft layer which covered the ground. She was on her way to visit Agate, an old friend of hers, who often traveled, so it when she was home, Licorice took her time to visit. Passing in front of the carpenter's building, she heard the soft sound of footsteps behind her.

"Oh, Klaus!" she called out, a smile immediately appearing on her face as she waved out to him. He was a little shocked to see her right after he had just left the restaurant speaking about her.

"Good afternoon," he greeted her with a small smile as he approached her, "where could you be going at this hour?" Licorice glanced at the falling sun, dying the snow a light orange hue. She hated how it set so early in this cold season.

"I'm going to visit Agate while she's in town," she replied as she continued to gaze at the sunset. Her heart beat began to speed up, realizing that she was standing with him watching the sunset, even for a moment.

"I see. Why don't you walk with me, she does live around me, doesn't she?"

"O-oh, yeah, I guess that won't be a problem."

Klaus continued to make his way home with Licorice close by him, noticing the book he had given her safely tucked in her arm. His eyes narrowed, questioning himself whether or not he should discuss it with her, and if so, when the right time would be.

Licorice felt nervous walking with him, the fragrant aroma from the book still fresh in her mind. She suspected Klaus had given her the book, but was hesitant to ask him, afraid of the embarrassment she would feel if he hadn't been the one to gift it to her.

"Licorice," Klaus broke the long silence as they walked up the stone steps into the west plaza, "would mind if I took a few moments of your time before you visit with your friend?"

"Oh!" Licorice exclaimed, snapping back to reality, "Uhm, yeah, that's fine." He led her by one of the lampposts and turned to face her, his expression neutral. She started to lose herself in his amber eyes, her grip tightening on the book as if she were trying to squeeze the magic out of it.

"I was the one who gave you the book," he finally spoke, his eyes lowering a bit.

"Oh," she tried to conceal her excitement, her heart skipping a beat, "Thank you very much. I really love it." Her sweet words of gratitude put a smile back on his face for a moment before disappearing again.

"However, I started to worry that you would see the gift as romantic. I just want to be clear that it was not intended to be so."

Licorice's eyes widen as she felt her heart sink into her stomach. She had always known that Klaus was out of her reach for a relationship, but hearing it from his mouth pierced her chest.

"Oh, I see.. well, no worries. I knew that." She did her best to put a big smile on her face to mask the growing emptiness in her chest. "I just didn't know who gave it me. There was no name on the card."

"Yes, that. I figured you would know it was from me. I apologize for the confusion."

"Like I said, no worries. Thank you anyways." She tried rushing the conversation, feeling her mask of happiness breaking. Klaus, on the other hand, felt a great weight lifted off his shoulders.

"I'm glad we understand," he said, smiling, turning away to head back to his home. Licorice just stood there under the lamppost, her fingers trembling and her eyes welling up with tears.

 _I have to stop crying,_ she thought, wiping her tears angrily from her eyes, _I can't let Agate see me like this!_ Trying to shake off the overwhelming feeling of sadness, she marched to her friend's house.

Knocking on the door, she tried to think of other things to get her mind off of Klaus, her image of him in her mind growing faint. Agate answered the door, her cheery face greeting Licorice's grim expression.

"Oh, no!" Agate exclaimed, seeing the tears in her eyes, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," Licorice's voice was shaky as a small, forced smile appeared on her face. Agate led her inside, taking her out of the cold. The warmth of the room melted her icy fingers as she caressed her numb cheeks. She made her way to the table when she noticed a figure standing in the kitchen out of the corner of her eye. It was Fritz, helping himself to more hot chocolate. He looked up and noticed her solemn expression.

"Hey, Licorice," he greeted casually, stirring the powder into the hot water. The sight of him brought the tears to her eyes faster than before, though she knew not why. The coincidence of him being there sent a wave of relief through her.

"Fritz," she called out helplessly, tears streaming down her face. She began to sob before she could finish what she was saying.

"Wha- hey, hey, hey!" he rushed over to her, setting down his cup at the counter. He was about to wrap his arms around her, but he hesitated. "What's wrong?" She covered her face with her hands, feeling ashamed that she showed up at the house in such a state.

"C'mon, what's wrong?" Fritz's tone was soothing and calm. His eyes grew soft as he watched the girl he felt so strongly for fall to pieces right in front of him. His fists clenched slightly, making the decision to take the risk.

"Fritz," her voice was unstable, "I'm sorry, I-"

Her words were stopped as she felt his warms arms wrap around her. Holding her tightly, her heart skipped a beat. She rested her forehead on his shoulder, trying to stop her uncontrollable tears.

"I'm such a fool," she whispered.

"No, ya not," he whispered back.

"Then why do I feel so stupid?" She gently returned his embrace. Agate stood in the doorway, confused.

"Did I miss something?" Agate asked, interrupting their precious moment together. "Since when were you two dating?" Licorice's face turned bright red, pulling away from Fritz to face her.

"W-hat?!" she exclaimed. "We're not dating!"

"On the contrary!" Fritz declared, shooting his fist into the air, his overflowing confidence taking over. "Licorice, I know this is bad timing, but... I..."

Licorice gazed at him with wide eyes and red cheeks, under the impression that he was going to confess. Agate stood in the doorway with her arms folded, her cheerful smile returning to her face. Fritz's fist quickly lowered and pointed a finger at Licorice.

"I want to take ya out on a date!" he announced, suddenly feeling his confidence fade away as he watched Licorice's unchanging expression of confusion intimidate him. "Uhm, please?"

She stared at him, bewildered. A moment later, she started laughing. Perplexed, Fritz and Agate stood where they were and waited for her to stop. When she finally did, she wiped the remainder of her tears.

"Oh, Fritz," she giggled, "that sounds like a great idea." His eyes glistened with delight from her response, both of them completely forgetting about their friend standing on the other end of the room.

"You two have quite a bit to discuss," Agate interrupted their gaze with her cheery tone. Licorice felt bad, knowing that her friend didn't have much time for a visit during her short return home, and she had completely missed it. The ranger understood completely, reassuring her that she would be home more often during the summer time.

Fritz and Licorice left Agate's house, arm in arm, and headed for Raeger's restaurant before it closed for the day. The warmth she felt from his arm made her heart pound. She never expected to feel this way about him, the feeling practically snuck up on her. In the back of her mind, she knew her feelings for Klaus would still remain in her heart, yet she hoped that if this new budding relationship fully bloomed, it would replace them with strong feelings for Fritz.

He glanced down at her and noticed her blushing face, a smile lifting up his cheeks. This wasn't exactly how he planned on asking her out on a date, but it was an opportunity he knew he couldn't pass up. Taking a deep breath, he puffed his chest out slightly. He realized that now he had been given a chance, he needed to do his very best.

The little bell on the restaurant door sent a soft ring through the empty building as Fritz opened the door for Licorice. Raeger was standing behind the front counter, organizing receipts. A broad smile appeared on his face as he saw the two walk in together. Akiko had been wiping down tables, but quickly dropped her wet rag and skipped up to her friends. Concern written on her face, she threw her arms around her friend. A small stream of tears ran down her face as Licorice returned her hug.

"Licorice," Akiko muttered as she pulled away, "about the book-"

"I know," Licorice interrupted, her small smile growing a little bigger, "but it's okay." She explained what happened at Agate's house. Her friend was so excited for her.

"Ya think ya got time for one more meal?" Fritz asked Raeger, realizing how close it was to closing time.

"I'm sure I can squeeze in two more customers," Raeger responded, glancing at Akiko, who was still chatting with her friend. The two girls had moved to a table to talk, their faces lit up with happiness. Already knowing what the two were going to order, he headed back to the kitchen to get started, Fritz following him.

"Do you think she'll really be okay?" Raeger asked as he lit the burner, aware that Fritz had no knowledge about Klaus making a visit to the restaurant only a while before.

"I don' reckon she'll be over it soon," Fritz responded, standing in the doorway, looking back to the girls as they giggled, "I can't be the man Klaus is, but I'm hoping to be somethin' to her." Raeger was a little impressed with his answer, but shared his concern.

 _Klaus is an outstanding man_ , Raeger thought, flipping over the meat in the pan.

"Do ya ever worry about Kiki?" Fritz asked, never breaking his gaze from the girls.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, do ya reckon Kamil could ever win her back?"

"Kamil never had her to begin with."

"Yah, but not just Kamil. Anyone."

Raeger focused intently at his cooking, listening to the words of his farmer friend. The idea had never crossed his mind.

"What brings this up?"

"Kiki's an attractive woman, that's all." Fritz shrugged, his cheeks turning pink from his small confession. "Have ya even made her ya girlfriend, yet?"

"I- I'm not sure."

Before the guys could finish their chat, Akiko had called out to Fritz. As he walked away, Raeger got out a few plates, considering their conversation. He had yet to bring up the idea with her about going steady, but, in a way, he already felt that way about what they had. However, the doubt rose in his mind.

 _What if she doesn't feel that way about what we have?_ he thought, his eyes lowering as he felt his chest tighten at the thought. The idea of losing her was painful. Taking a deep breath to relieve his nerves, he was able to muster a smile as he walked out with the plates of food.

"Wow, this looks great!" Licorice beamed as her plate of hot food was set in front of her. "Thank you, Raeger."

"Yah! Thanks, Raeger!" Fritz agreed, his eyes glistening as his mouth began to water. Smiling at their delight, Raeger made his way to the wooden stairs to take a small break on the steps. A moment later, Akiko followed him.

As she turned the corner, she found him sitting in the middle of the staircase with his head lowered. The somber stairway was dimly lit as she suddenly became concerned at the sight of him. Slowly walking up the stairs, she held her hands together, nervous about his sudden mood swing.

"Raeger," she spoke softly, "is there something wrong?" He looked up at to meet her gaze, her deep eyes reflecting the small light available. He responded with a smile as he reached out and stroked her arm.

"Do you think we could talk?" he asked, matching her quiet tone, his smile never budging. She nodded slowly, carefully taking a seat next to him on the same step. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close to him, making her heartbeat race.

"Raeger, what's-"

Before she could finish, he gently grabbed her chin and stole her words with a kiss, sending a warm wave through her body. Her eyes closed as she gently grabbed his arm, kissing him back. He pulled away for a small second before stealing another kiss from her.

"What are you doing?" she whispered in between the kisses with a concerning tone. _This isn't just him being romantic._

"How do you see me?" he asked when he finally pulled away from the kiss, keeping his face close to hers by resting his forehead against hers.

"What do you mean?"

"You mean so much to me, you know that, right?"

"Y-yes, of course I know that."

"So, does that mean I'm yours and you're mine?"

Her eyes widened at his question, staring at him as her lips quivered lightly. Slowly closing her eyes, she grabbed his hand and gently nuzzled against it, her captivating smile appearing on her face. Returning her gaze to his eyes, she giggled quietly at his puzzled expression. His heart began to beat faster as he awaited her response, fearing she might give him an answer he didn't want to accept.

"Silly," her voice was soft and quiet as her smile grew bigger, "I've belonged to you since your lips first touched mine."

Her smile melted his heart, as it always did, as he pressed his forehead against hers again. The smile on his face was so big, it began to hurt his cheeks. His sudden closeness to her sent her heart aflutter, her cheeks turning bright red. She hoped he couldn't see her flustered face in the dim light.

"Do you know how long I've been waiting to hear you say those words?" he whispered softly. As he was about to seal their lips together in another kiss, his attention was distracted by loud laughing coming from Fritz and Licorice.

"Looks like your customers need some tending to," Akiko giggled playfully. Raeger laughed at her tease, rubbing the tip of his nose against hers. As he stood up and headed back down the wooden stairs, his hand softly glided out of hers. He turned the corner to see Licorice's eyes full of tears as she laughed at Fritz's stories.

Akiko remained where she sat, her heart still beating at a fast rate. She brought her hands up to her pounding chest, flinching at the touch of her warm fingers against her cold skin. The sensation she felt when she spoke those words to him was almost frightening, making his response all the more comforting.

* * *

Klaus sat in his dark, empty home, waiting for the tea kettle to whistle. The shadows cast by the fireplace danced along the walls, the various bottles of perfume scattered throughout the room glistened with each flare from the flames. As he watched the burning wood crumble to pieces, Akiko's smiling face quickly flashed through his mind. The sudden thought making his head perk up as he felt his heart race for a spell.

Constantly reminding himself that she belonged to someone else, he often wondered if such a frail, beautiful young woman would ever fall for an older man, such as himself.


	14. Fiery Excitement, Playing Fair

**Chapter Fourteen: Fiery Excitement, Playing Fair**

 _"So remember to gather as much firewood as you can tonight! The winter storm should be rolling in by nightfall. Blackouts are possible, so please keep-"_

Klaus clicked off his television as he tightened his scarf around his neck. He had just been listening to Lillie's weather report, warning her viewers of a dangerous snowstorm headed their way, possibly starting late that very night. Luckily for most of the villagers, the carpenter usually had plenty of firewood to go around for everyone.

Locking the door behind him, he made his way to get what firewood he needed. A small breeze bit at his cheeks as he headed down the stone steps leading into the main plaza of Oak Tree Town. The snow around the front door of the carpenter's house had been flattened by the many people who had entered just that day.

Taking his place at the back of the line of customers, his mind uncontrollably thought of Akiko. An ache in his chest began to form as he thought about how much more dangerous the storms could be in the mountains.

 _Will she be safe? Has she ever endured a storm like this in Oak Tree Town? Does she have an adequate amount of firewood? What about food?  
_

His eyes lowered at the constant negativity, her smiling face flashing through his mind. It was torture, thinking about her in such a way. Just the day before, he witnessed her smiling at Raeger's side, the gaze they shared for each other was deep, striking a hint of envy in his heart.

"Hmph," he spoke softly to himself, "as if an old man such as myself would have any chance with her."

The line moved forward, bringing Klaus back to reality. As he stepped closer to the person in front of him, he caught a glimpse of the one who had just purchased some firewood. It was Raeger, who had a large smile on his face as he carried out what he had just purchased, not even noticing Klaus as he exited through the door, letting in a chill drift in.

Klaus watched him leave, feeling the envy growing inside him, along with denial. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop the warmth he felt when he thought of her smiling face, complemented by her amethyst-colored eyes.

* * *

After juggling between the firewood and his keys, Raeger had to lightly kick his door open in order to enter. Carefully dropping the wood onto the floor, he turned to close the door behind him, the wind growing stronger as the day went on.

"At this rate, the storm will be here in just a few hours," he commented, reaching down to pick of the wood before heading upstairs to his room.

Placing the wood in a rack next to his fireplace, he heard the front door downstairs open and close, followed by a quick pace of footsteps up the stairs. He turned his head to his doorway to find Akiko, her face bright red from the cold. As he stood up, a smile grew across his face, but quickly disappeared, noticing the concern in her expression. Walking across the room to greet her, he ran his warm hand through her cold hair.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his free hand rubbing the back of her arm.

"This might sound a bit crazy," she said as he stared deeply into his eyes, trying hard to steady her voice, trying to catch her breath, "but I have favor to ask of you."

"Of course, anything." He gave her a big smile, hoping to settle her nerves.

"Will... will you stay with me?"

"Stay with you?"

"During the storm."

Raeger's eyes widened from her request. The two have never spent the night together, and this storm had a possibility of lasting several days. His heart skipped a beat from happiness. Even though his heart was filled with joy, he couldn't help but feel a little knot form in his stomach.

"Are you sure?" he asked with a gentle tone. He needed to know if she truly wanted to take this step in their relationship.

"I know it might seem sudden," she replied, averting her face away from his as pink rushed to her cheeks, "but, this storm could last awhile, and I don't-" Her eyes lowered as the remaining words refused to leave her mouth. Clenching her fists against her chest, tears began to well up at the edges of her eyes, her bottom lip quivering.

 _She's afraid to be alone_ , he thought. Carefully grabbing her chin, he pulled her gaze back to his, gifting her with an assuring smile before planting a sweet kiss on her lips. Wiping away the tears with his free hand, he could feel the trembling in her lips stop as she kissed him back. A smile spread across her face as he pulled away.

"Don't worry," he whispered as he rested his forehead against hers, "I would love to stay with you. Just let me pack up a few things and I'll be ready to go."

* * *

Akiko and Raeger made their way up the mountain atop her horse, attempting to reach her farm as quickly as possible. He insisted bringing the firewood he had just bought with him, even though she claimed she had plenty at home. When they finally reached their destination, Raeger hastily put the horse in the barn while Akiko carried the extra firewood they brought with them inside.

"Yikes!" he exclaimed as he shut the door behind him, breathing hot air into his fingers. "It's getting colder by the minute."

"I'm sorry," she apologized, setting the firewood down in her pile next to the fireplace, "I guess the storm could be worse up here than back at the restaurant."

"I told you already, I don't mind. So please, stop worrying about it."

Setting his bag down near her nightstand, he glanced around the house, curious about where she had planned on him sleeping. The couch looked long enough, but he figured if she had enough blankets, he wouldn't mind having a makeshift bed on the floor. Though her queen-sized bed was big enough for the two of them, he didn't want to assume he would be welcome sleeping next to her.

"Would you like some hot cocoa?" she asked, breaking his train of thought.

"Oh, yeah, that sounds nice," he replied, still distracted. As he watched her put the tea kettle on the burner, he couldn't help but feel relieved that he was with her during this time. The thought of being alone still frightened her, so he was happy that she asked for his help. Now that they have finally made their relationship official, he wanted to do anything and everything for her, especially with the idea of her being swooned by another man still lingered heavily on the back of his mind.

The hours passed, and the couple shared a few laughs to pass the time until it was late enough to start dinner. More than happy to oblige, he took over her kitchen once again. As he cooked, she looked out the window to see the trees moving with the rough wind, the clouds in the sky moving faster and faster.

The storm was bound to arrive at any hour.

* * *

Back in Oak Tree Town...

Klaus threw in a few more pieces of wood into the flames. Iris and Mistel were settled on the couch, enjoying a hot cup of tea. The three usually endured the heavy snow storms together, either at his home or theirs.

The two siblings were gossiping, as usual, while Klaus simply stared at the dancing flames before him, getting lost in thought. Ever since Mistel brought up the possibility that he might have feelings for Akiko, he couldn't stop thinking about her. The denial he had was now starting to dwindle.

"Klaus," Iris called out to him, snapping him out of his trance, "is something wrong? You've been unusually quiet since we've arrived."

"Iris, I'm sure he's fine," Mistel put in, bringing his cup of tea to his lips, blowing at it softly.

"Since when have you become a mind reader? He's never _this_ quiet."

"Perhaps he has that woman on his mind. You know, the one he fancies."

Klaus's eyes narrowed at Mistel's taunt. A piercing sensation went through his chest as he turned to face them. Iris's eyes were wide with curiosity and disbelief as she gazed at him. Mistel's mischievous smirk grew, seeing as he hit a home run with his guess.

"What is it about her that captures you so?" Iris asked, sharing her brother's smirk as she lowered her cup to her lap. "Could it be her delicate skin? That is a rather desirable trait. Or maybe it's those large, glistening eyes of hers? They are quite mystifying, if I do say so myself."

"It's many things," Klaus responded sternly as he walked past them to pour himself a cup of tea in the kitchen. Iris turned her brother.

"Honestly, I don't see what's so interesting about her," she whispered, her eyebrows angling in frustration.

"Am I sensing a bit of jealously, Iris?" Mistel whispered back.

"Don't be ridiculous!" she responded harshly, turning away from him. "I just want to know why he fancies _her_ , that's all."

In the kitchen, Klaus could clearly hear their loud whispering, and chuckled at the thought.

 _Why do I find her so interesting?_ he thought, instantly thinking of Akiko's smiling face. _Could that be it? Her smile? No, it's more than that._

Stirring in a few cubes of sugar, he made his way back to the room with the bickering siblings, both of whom simply ignored his returned presence as they went back and forth. Taking a seat in his favorite armchair, he returned to gazing at the fire, a small smile spreading across his lips. His thoughts began to wander, remembering every moment he's had with her since the day she's arrived. She had such a tender and caring nature with a little bit of spice to her attitude. Always doing her best to please others, it was very uncommon to hear of someone who disliked her, and those who did were merely envious of her in some way.

The smile on his face grew bigger, feeling contempt with his newly accepted feelings for Akiko. He also accepted the fact that his feelings might remain unrequited, for her heart belonged to someone else, and he had no intention of interfering with that relationship.

The wolf will have to watch from afar, dwelling deep within the shadows.

* * *

Raeger decided to take a shower after dinner, allowing Akiko some time to think as she dried and put away the washed dishes. She could feel her heartbeat race as she thought about him, realizing the opportunity she had to get closer to him and strengthen their relationship.

Once her chore was done, she grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around herself as she placed herself in front of the warming fire. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see bits of steam seeping out from under the bathroom door. Even though she was happy that he agreed to stay with her during the storm, she couldn't help but feel as though she pressured him into it.

 _I can't believe how selfish I sounded_ , she thought, watching the dwindling flames flicker. _What if he never even wanted to stay up here with me?_ Her fists clenched around the edges of the blanket, tightening it around herself as she brought her knees up to her chest.

"Don't let the fire go out, silly."

Akiko perked up and gazed at Raeger who stood next to the fireplace. She was shocked to see him only wearing pajama pants and a wet towel around his neck, beads of water dripping from the tips of his damp hair, trickling down his bare skin. Her cheeks instantly turned bright red as she watched him throw in a few more pieces of wood, poking at them to get the fire going again.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention." He smiled at her comment as walked over to his bag to pull out a night shirt. With his back turned to her, she examined his broad back, flustering her cheeks even more as her heartbeat raced inside her chest. Quickly averting her gaze back to the fire when he turned back around, she brought the blanket up to her face to hide her embarrassment. Suddenly, she felt him settle on the floor next to her.

"Got room in there for two?" he asked playfully, pulling the edge of the blanket down to see her face. Nodding slowly, she released her grip on one edge of the blanket, allowing him to enter her personal fort.

"Mmm, nice and warm," he sighed, wrapping an arm around her, pulling her close to him in their personal tent of warmth. Resting his cheek on top of her head, she could feel her hair begin to dampen from his wet hair.

"Raeger," she whispered, turning her head towards him, "are you sure you're okay with staying up here with me?"

"Of course I am," he chuckled, "Why? Are you having second thoughts about me staying here?"

"What? No, I just feel like I backed you in a corner..."

Raeger's eyes lowered as he watching the orange flare of light dance in her eyes, a soft smile turning up the corners of his mouth. Gently cupping her cheek, he pulled her into a kiss. He heard a soft moan in her throat, making his heart jump. The hand on her cheek moved to her shoulder, pulling her closer as she wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. For a moment, she felt his tongue slip past her lips, sending sparks throughout her body, only to be followed by him pulling away from her face slowly.

"If I didn't want to be here, I wouldn't have come," he spoke quietly. Akiko stared at him, her bottom lip trembling lightly from the recent excitement she just felt flowing throughout her body. He noticed her expression, and tilted his head in confusion. "Is something wrong?"

"N-no," she retorted, lowering her face into in his neck, swallowing a lump in her throat, "I just wish you wouldn't tease me like that."

"Sorry," he responded, chuckling softly, "it's just so much fun."

"But you promised you wouldn't do that anymore, remember?"

Raeger's eyes widened, suddenly remembering that he did promise her back when he asked her out on their first date. As a mischievous smile spread across his lips, he pulled her face back up to meet his, staring deeply into her eyes, reciprocating the desire he saw in them.

"How foolish of me," he apologized, his voice soft as a whisper, "it won't happen again."

Before letting her respond, he pressed his lips against hers once again, a little harder than before. Letting her emotions take over, she entangled her fingers in his damp hair as he placed on hand on her back and the other on the back of her neck. This time, she welcomed his tongue past her lips, feeling the sparks go off in her chest as their tongues rubbed against one another. Without even realizing it, he had carefully lowered her to the floor, hovering above her.

A sweet thrill ran down her spine as she felt his lips trail from her mouth to her neck. At the same time, she felt a little scared, experiencing a feeling she had never felt before. Her feelings for him were deep, but she wasn't sure if she was ready for what he was leading them to. Even if she wanted it, she feared her inexperience would either ruin it or make it awkward.

"Raeger," she called out quietly, her voice weak as his hand ran up the inside of her blouse, stopping at her ribs, "Raeger, wait..."

His eyes shot open as he moved his face to meet hers, seeing the hesitancy in her eyes as her lip quivered. As his expression softened, he sat back up, pulling her up into a soft embrace.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, "I didn't mean to-"

"No, it's fine," she quickly interrupted him, leaning into his chest, "I just, well, I don't really know what I'm supposed to-"

"There's no need to rush anything."

"I wasn't trying to rush, I just-"

Raeger captured Akiko's words with a soft kiss, stroking a few strands of her hair behind her ear. Tears began well up in her eyes as her heart filled with guilt, feeling as though she led him on. Truly, deep down, she wanted to, but her lack of confidence held her back.

"Don't worry about it," he assured, "we just got a little excited." She smiled at his comforting words, feeling the guilt slowly leave as she rested her head against his shoulder, suddenly feeling an overwhelming heaviness taking over her body.

"We should get some sleep," she yawned. Standing up, she made her way towards her bed as Raeger threw in a few more pieces of wood so the fire would survive the night. Grabbing her nightgown, she headed towards the bathroom to change.

The tile felt like cold ice against her bare feet as she tossed her blouse and skirt into the hamper by the sink. She could still smell the moisture from his shower only a short while ago. As she glanced at her bare chest in the mirror while she brushed her hair, her imagination came alive as the thought of tiny streams of water running down Raeger's chest and back invaded her mind. Suddenly realizing what she was thinking about, her face turned bright red, shaking her head to get it out of her thoughts.

 _Pull yourself together!_ she thought, holding her hand over her chest, feeling her heart pounding heavily. Feeling the chill across her skin, she pulled her nightgown over her head and straightened it out over her thighs. The lavender-colored, sleeveless gown stopped just above her knees, the silky material caressing her smooth legs. She looked away from the mirror, wishing she had done some laundry so could've chosen different attire, fearing that what she had chosen to wear might contradict the situation with Raeger.

 _Even if you do want it, who knows if it will even be satisfying for him,_ she thought, her insecurities getting the best of her. Taking a deep breath to settle her nerves, she finally emerged from the bathroom. Raeger was spread out on the couch with one hand behind his head for support and the other holding a book he had brought with him. The blanket the two had used in front of the fire was now covering his legs.

Finally taking notice of her, he lowered his book into his lap as he felt a hard lump form in his throat. His eyes widened at the sight of her and his cheeks flushed pink as he felt his heartbeat speed up. Trying her best to ignore his reaction, she gave him a confused look, glancing at the blanket.

"Um, what are you doing?" she asked sweetly, tilting her head as a small smile appeared across her lips. Waiting for his response, she made her way to the edge of her bed, pulling up the large quilt.

"I was, uh, just reading," he responded, struggling to find his words, "it relaxes me before I, uh, go to, I mean, before I fall asleep." Akiko giggled at his response, still trying to look past his expression.

"You know, I don't mind sharing my bed with you," she blushed, looking away from him to hide her red face, "I'm sure it's a lot warmer than the sofa."

"You sure?"

"I insist."

Raeger hesitantly rose up from the couch, leaving the blanket where it was, placing his book on her nightstand. Already snuggled in her bed, Akiko watched as he nestled in the covers next to, doing his best not to look at her. She took notice to his evading eyes, making her heart grow with concern.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, supporting herself on her elbow as she stared at him with worried eyes. His cheeks got even redder before he responded to her.

"No," he eyes never glanced her direction as he offered his short response. The tension was starting to grow thicker, making her uncomfortable as she finally turned away from him, hoping that would make it easier for him to respond to her question properly.

"You can tell me," she said, clutching her pillow, nervous at what he could be thinking.

"It just seems unfair."

"Huh? Unfair?"

"I can't tease you anymore, yet you do this to me."

Akiko's felt her cheeks get hotter, realizing he was talking about her nightgown. The guilt she had felt earlier quickly returned to stomach.

"I'm- I'm sorry. I didn't have anything else. I'm not trying to-" Before she could finish her sentence, she felt his arm wrap around her waist, pulling her towards him until her back was against his warm chest. Nuzzling his face into her hair, she could feel his warm breath on her neck, sending that familiar sweet thrill down her spine once again.

"R-Raeger?" her voice barely a whisper, feeling his lips gently caress her shoulder.

"All I'm saying is you need to play fair," he whispered before resting his head back down on the pillow, keeping his hold tight on her as he took a deep breath, taking in the sweet scent of her hair, relaxing him even more. She decided it was best not to respond, unsure of the meaning of his words. Eventually, she felt his breathing become slow and even, lulling her into slumber with him.

* * *

 _ **AUTHOR'S NOTE:** I apologize for the sudden infrequency of my chapters. I do what I can when I have the spare time, but I do my best to try and finish at least one chapter a week. So, thank you for those who keep reading and writing reviews. It means so much to me!_

 _Also, I've been contemplating changing the rating of this story from T to M for the suggestive themes I've been adding to the story. So, if I could get some opinions on that, I would appreciate it!_

 _I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It was a lot of fun to write!_

 _Thank you for everything! :D_


	15. Enduring the Storm

**Chapter Fifteen: Enduring the Storm**

The sound of sizzling slowly brought Akiko's eyes open. Still dazed by her sudden awakening, she continued to stare at the wall with half-opened eyes, curious as to why she was hearing such a noise in her home. As quick as a flash, the memories from the previous night flooded her mind. Her eyes shot open before she quickly sat up in her bed, seeing Raeger cooking in the kitchen, already changed from his night clothes. Taking in her surroundings, she noticed it was still dark outside and the air in her home was frigid, almost to the point of visible breath. As goosebumps began to form on her arms, she pulled the quilt up to cover them. The rustling of the covers caught Raeger's attention, looking over his shoulder to see her staring at him.

"I'm sorry if I woke you," he called out to her, a smile appearing on his face from the sight of her, "it's a little difficult not to since you hardly have any walls."

She smiled at his words before getting out of bed and heading towards her dresser to find warmer clothing. Going through her drawers, she found a dark blue winter dress with light blue satin trimming. Grabbing black stockings to match, she made her way into the bathroom to change. She decided to leave her hair down, only adding a headband to keep it out of her face. Struggling to get the zipper up at the back, she exited the bathroom, approaching her personal chef.

"Could you zip me up?" she asked sweetly, holding her hair up out of the way as she turned her back towards him. Agreeing to her request, he placed his spatula down and grabbed the tiny zipper between his fingers. He examined her bare skin, his knuckle barely kissing it as he slowly zipped her up, careful not to catch it on her bra. Reaching the top of her dress, he gently placed a kiss on the back of her neck before she let her hair fall back down.

"There," Raeger whispered, his lips caressing her skin as he spoke, "all zipped up." He turned back to his cooking, flipping the pancakes while simultaneously turning the bacon. Akiko's face turned red from the sensation. She turned to face him and stared at his profile as he cooked with a large grin on his face. Without hesitating, she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, resting her face on his face.

"I hope you slept well," she said, locking her fingers together to ensure the embrace.

"Like a log. How about you?"

"Yes, it was really nice having you next to me all night."

"That's good to know. I think my favorite part was waking up to you."

"I didn't get the pleasure of that luxury.."

"Sorry, I wanted to surprise you with breakfast."

Raeger set down his cooking tools and loosed himself free from her grip before turning around to face her, taking in her beauty. He placed his hands on her shoulders, leaning in for a kiss. Meeting him halfway, she leaned in to meet his lips, her heart jumping in her chest.

"You're so beautiful," he commented as he pulled away, turning around to pull plates out from the cupboards.

"Thank you," she blushed, getting silverware from the drawer and placing them on the table. "A beautiful girl for such a handsome man."

* * *

Back at Oak Tree Town...

The snow which had fallen from the previous night completely covered the streets, reaching to the doorknobs of most buildings. With dark clouds consuming the sky, the town seemed almost dead.

At the Inn, everyone was in their rooms, staying close to their fireplaces. Licorice spent most of her time reading in front of the flames, hardly realizing that she was trapped indoors. Only going down to eat, she was hardly seen at the inn by the other tenants. Kamil was down in the main lobby with Lillie, who made it home just before the storm hit, and Melanie. Nadi also isolated himself to his room.

"Again, I'm really sorry, Kamil," Lillie apologized, moved her piece on the game board. The three decided to play one of Melanie's board games to pass time. During that time, she was discussing with Kamil about Elise lying to him about Akiko that day he returned home from his trip. She had felt terrible about the whole situation, feeling obligated to explain things to him clearly.

"I'm grateful for your apology," Kamil responded, rolling the dice, "I'm also glad you were honest with me about everything."

"Elise can get a little, well, carried away with her drama."

"But why?"

"She sees Akiko as competition."

"Competition? For what?"

Lillie paused suddenly at his question, then grabbed a card from one of the many piles. Her fist resting against the table clenched into a tight fist.

"Well, Elise has had this big crush on you for a while now," Lillie informed him, moving her piece on the board. "You lose two turns."

"Aw, man!" Melanie exclaimed, folding her arms in a fit. She had no interest in their "grown-up" conversation, ignoring it completely.

"Has she really?" Kamil's eyes widened in shock, taking the dice in hand.

"I'm surprised you haven't noticed," Lillie chuckled nervously. _How could he NOT notice? She practically worships the ground he walks on._

"I guess my sights were set on... well, you know." His eyes lowered as he carelessly rolled the dice onto the table.

"Oh, yeah, I'm sorry it had to end up that way."

"I wish I knew what she saw in Raeger. What does he have that I can't offer her?"

"I don't know, Kamil, but that's something she might not be able to answer."

"What do you mean?"

Lillie gave him a small smile as her cheeks turned red for a moment, once again picking up a card from a random stack. She was thinking about a time when she was once caught in the same situation when she was an adolescent teenager. Looking back on it now, she felt foolish, only considering it a lesson in life whenever she remembered the story.

"I'm sure there are reasons," she continued softly, keeping her eyes on the board, "but love isn't always black and white. It's not what you can or can't offer her. My mother used to describe it in a creative way to me when I needed her advice."

"What did she used to say?" Kamil asked, his eyes fixed on her pink cheeks.

"She used colors to describe it. Colors are all over the world, but they are always being seen through different eyes. One color will always look different to another person than it will to you. That doesn't mean there's something wrong with that said color, it just means the other person is drawn to it more than you might be. It might sound silly, but it helped me a lot."

Kamil stared down at the game board in silence before saying, "So, are you saying that some people are just meant to be?"

"I guess you could take it like that."

"HEY, it's your turn, Kamil!" Melanie shouted, catching his attention. He responded with a small smile.

"Sorry, Melanie," he picked up a card from the pile before returning to his train of thought. "I guess it just can't be helped then."

"Possibly," Lillie replied, "but did you ever even look passed her beauty?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when you first met her, all you did was talk about how gorgeous she was. It wasn't for a while that you found out she was a farmer, and you didn't even hear that from her. You happened to find out from Elise, actually."

"Oh?"

"From what I saw, personally, you fell for her body, and Raeger fell for her spirit."

Lillie's words sank in deeper than he expected. Kamil thought all the way back to when he first met Akiko. Whenever he spent any time with her, all he did was flatter her and shower her with gifts to win her over. It was true, he didn't know that much about her, even to the day of the confrontation. He never payed any mind to the things she would buy at the trade depot, never asked her about her life before Oak Tree Town, never really took the time to understand her.

All he cared about was getting the beautiful girl.

"I never realized," he spoke softly, then stood up from his seat.

"Where are you going?" Melanie spoke out.

"Sorry, Melanie. I'm not feeling well. I need to go rest."

"Oh, okay."

Lillie watched him as he made his way up the stairs. She felt as though she said too much, but at the same time, it was something she felt he needed to hear.

Kamil fiddled through his pocket for his key, then looked over at Licorice's door. He hesitated for a moment, then walked over to the front of her door. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he softly knocked on her door. Only a few seconds later, the door opened to reveal her shocked expression.

"Kamil!" Licorice exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief. It had been a long time since the two have even looked at each other.

"Licorice," he nodded in acknowledgement, "can I ask you a few things?"

A little unsure, she invited him inside her room, softly closing the door behind him. Taking a seat on her bed, she didn't really know what to do from that point as he just stood there, leaning against the door.

"Well, ask away," she insisted, eager to get him to leave as soon as she could.

"I was just wondering," he began, tugging at the end of his blazer nervously, "in as little words as possible, why did Akiko choose Raeger over me?"

Licorice stared at him in shock, never expecting that question. Swallowing a lump in her throat nervously, she was able to change her face to a more serious expression.

"She just bonded with him," she responded, the fireplace popping. "Besides, she never saw you as an 'option.' Raeger had caught her interest a long time ago, so your chances were, well, nonexistent."

"That's it?" Kamil was dissatisfied with her answer, his face scrunching together.

"Let me put it this way, what's your favorite thing about Akiko?"

Kamil responded without a second thought. "She's beautiful."

"Okay, do you know what Raeger would say if I asked him the same question?"

Kamil cringed a little at the thought. She continued.

"Fritz told me, back to before they even started dating, that Raeger loved seeing her bring the sunshine with her wherever she went, always happy and kind. He didn't start saying anything about what she looked like until later on."

Licorice just stared at Kamil as he stood silent against the door. His eyes were lowered to the floor, avoiding any eye contact. In his mind, he thought he was over everything, but reality hit him hard. He still had feelings for her, his heart refused to let go.

"The thing is, Kamil," Licorice sighed, "their love grew over time. I don't believe there is such thing as 'love-at-first-sight.' Trust me, I learned that the hard way, too."

"Thanks, Licorice," Kamil finally raised his head, giving her a forced smile. He had heard enough. Before she could respond, he turned around and headed back to his room. Closing the door behind him, he could feel his heart clench. Entering his room, he went straight to bed and lied there, not even bothering to turn on a light or get his fireplace going.

"'Love-at-first-sight,' huh?" he mumbled to himself, glancing at his window to see the falling snow.

Licorice remained at her bed, staring down at her lap which glowed orange from the fire. Looking up, she looked over to her bookshelf, glancing at the book Klaus had given her. The feeling she felt when he told her not to except any romantic intent formed a knot in her stomach, but only for a moment, for she then remembered the warm embrace she received from Fritz only a short time after that incident.

A smile spread across her face as she thought of him. She stood up and walked over to her phone and dialed his number.

* * *

Back at the farm...

Akiko and Raeger had dug out a pathway leading to her barn and coop so they could tend to the animals. Both were covered from head to toe in thick heavy clothing to withstand the cold. They both made their work quick in order to get back inside before they froze. Akiko made sure to give them extra food and water in case the storm made it too difficult to come back the following day.

Bustling through the front door, the two managed to drag in a small layer of snow as they shuffled inside. Raeger was able to brush off most of the snow before soaking his legs, but Akiko wasn't so lucky. Even with her knee high boots on, the bottom of her dress and stockings were soaked, sending the chilling her to the bone.

Sitting by the fire to try and warm up, Raeger came up from behind her and stared at her shivering legs with concern.

"I don't think you should stay in those clothes," he said, rubbing the back of his head.

"I'll be fine," she responded, gazing up at him with her sweet smile as she tried to hide the quiver in her tone, "I just need to warm up by the fire." He was unhappy with her answer.

"No," he grabbed her arm and pulled her up effortlessly, yet gently, "you'll get sick. Go take a hot shower and change."

She stared at him in disbelief for a moment, his grip on her arm gentle, yet firm. After taking in the intensity of his serious expression, she slowly nodded in agreement, making her way towards the bathroom. He watched as she closed the bathroom door behind her, finally relaxing after he heard the water turn on. Walking over to the kitchen to get some hot water going, his thoughts began to wander.

 _She shouldn't be so careless_ , he thought as he sat back down on the sofa, rubbing his eyebrows in frustration, _this would be a terrible time to get sick._

The hot water felt like tiny bullets of fire as it came into contact with Akiko's frozen skin. After it melted, it quickly felt more soothing than painful. Dipping her head back to drench her hair, she became consumed by the comfort of the heat.

 _I didn't mean to worry him_ , she thought as she lathered the shampoo into in her hair, _I just didn't think it was a big deal.. but I should be more considerate of his feelings.._

As she rinsed the shampoo out of her hair, she could feel the suds trail down from her neck to her side. Her mind instantly thought of the moment his lips were against the soft skin of her neck. The memory brought a shy smile to her face, sending her heart aflutter. She loved that part of him, only wishing she wouldn't get so nervous when he did act in such a way.

 _I should just go with the flow next time, maybe even encourage it when it happens._ She felt a small spark in her chest, thinking about the possibilities if she shared his confidence.

Raeger began to prepare a hot cup of tea when he heard the water in the bathroom shut off, followed by the sound of her hair dryer. He smiled, feeling comforted in the thought that she decreased her chance of getting ill. Hearing the door open, he turned around to see her dressed in a fresh dress, similar to her blue one, smiling at him.

"Is there enough for me?" she asked, referring to the hot water.

"I made one for you," he reached behind him, handing her the steaming cup of tea. Carefully taking it from his hand, she kissed his lips lightly before taking a seat at the sofa.

"Did you bring any of your movies with you?" she beamed up at him as he walked over to the couch.

"Yeah, what sounds good?"

* * *

Several hours passed, the couple had watched a couple of movies to pass the time. Akiko had fallen asleep sometime near the end of the second movie, cuddled up in Raeger's arms. Careful not to wake her, he got up from the sofa to get some dinner ready before it go too late. Keeping it simple, he decided on making a creamy soup.

His concentration on his cooking distracted him from his surroundings, almost forgetting that he wasn't at home. Suddenly, he felt Akiko's arms slowly wrap around his waist from behind. Startling him slightly, he smiled at the sensation as he felt her face rest against his back.

"I hope you're hungry," he spoke, looking over his shoulder. He could feel her nod against his shoulder. Then, he felt her soft lips kiss his shoulder, giving his arm goosebumps.

"I missed you," she whispered.

"Missed me? But I never left."

"I missed having you against me."

Raeger turned around to face her, greeting her with a grin. Her glistening eyes lit up at his expression, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into a kiss. His eyes widened, but quickly relaxed as he wrapped his arms around her waist, keeping her close. She let out a tiny moan, sending his heart racing. Gently picking her up, he set her down on the counter next to him, her legs dangling on both sides of his waist.

"Why the sudden attention?" he whispered sensually, breaking the kiss.

"It's hard to find the right words to describe how I feel about you," she responded softly with a small smile, averting her eyes to the side as her cheeks reddened, "so I figured this would be easier."

"Easy, you say?" he turned her face back to his by gripping her chin, soaking in the desire he saw in her eyes. "Nothing about us is easy."

"What do you mean?"

"It wasn't easy watching Kamil be your shadow, it wasn't easy wondering if you felt the same way I did, and it sure as hell wasn't easy waiting to finally have you in my arms."

Akiko was rendered speechless, the intensity in his eyes piercing to her very soul, her heart pounding in her chest. Her face relaxed into a gentle smile as she placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Yet, despite all of that," her voice was soft as she continued to gaze into his emerald eyes, "it was easy to fall for you."

His eyes softened at her words as he felt a warmth build up in his stomach. Holding her chin in place, he leaned forward and kissed her. He felt her lips part and immediately started to twine their tongues together. The sweet sensation he felt from her tightened grip on his shoulders excited him further. She let out a small moan, feeling his hand on her lower back. Returning her moan, he removed his hold on her chin and entangled his fingers in her hair, holding the back of her head. The warmth from drying her hair was faint, tingling his fingertips.

Just as the excitement was about to peak, a loud rumble echoed throughout the room, stopping both of them in their tracks. Raeger eyed her waist with a playful smile before returning to her gaze.

"That's my cue," he teased, lifting her off the counter and placing her softly onto the floor before he attended to his unfinished soup. Embarrassed that she ruined the moment, she went over to the fireplace and tossed in a few pieces.

"I'm sorry," she called out to him, a sadness to her tone.

"There's nothing to apologize for," he called back as he stirred the mixture, "there's always dessert."

Her heart skipped at his playful words, bringing a smile back to her face.

Their dinner was short and quiet. Helping out with the clean up, the smile on Akiko's face never disappeared, feeling confident after Raeger gave signs that he enjoyed her playful behavior. As she washed the dishes, he decided to take the opportunity to change into his pajamas. There wasn't much to wash, giving her the chance to change into her silky nightgown before he came out of the bathroom.

The bare skin on her legs soon tightened from the chill, leading her to stand in front of the fireplace. Her heart began to race as she anticipated what could happen after he came out from the bathroom. She could feel her face starting to get hot, unsure if it was from blushing or simply the heat omitting from the fire before her. Perhaps both.

Then, she heard the quiet creak from the bathroom door and turned to face it. Raeger's eyes were affixed to the floor for only a moment, then he caught sight of her bare legs and looked up at her, his eyes growing wide as he felt a hard lump in his throat. His face quickly turned red, his chest pounding.

"Akiko, you-" he couldn't find the words he wanted to say, her dark glistening eyes stealing his words away as they stared at him.

A loud howl of wind broke the silence, shaking some of the windows of the house. Akiko winced at the unexpected din, clasping her hands over her ears as she tightly shut her eyes. The lights flickered before completely going out, leaving the only the fire as their light source. Raeger could vaguely see her shoulders shaking in the intensity of the orange glow. He walked over to her, trying to find the right words to say as he embraced her tightly. Her body was hot against his cold arms.

"Looks like the power's out," he whispered to her, trying to lighten the mood. Her hands moved away from her ears, placing them on his chest as she looked up at him, his eyes softly reflecting the intense glow of the fire.

"I guess so," she whispered back, trying to muster a small smile. Burying her hot face into his cool chest, she could hear his heartbeat against her ear. She felt him move some of her hair away from her ear, planting a small kiss at the edge of her jawline. Quivering in his arms, her hands clenched at his shirt, releasing another wave of excitement through his body. The heart in his chest was beating uncontrollably, softly moving his lips over her ear.

"I love you," he whispered softly, his lips tickling her ear.

Her eyes shot open wide, feeling her heart jump into her throat. Tears quickly streamed down her cheeks as a large smile appeared on her face.

"I love you, too," she responded, her voice croaking from the lump in her throat.

Carefully bending down, Raeger swept her up in one clean motion, causing Akiko to giggle loudly as she tightly wrapped her arms around his neck. He nuzzled his face into hers, her response sending him through the stars like a shooting star.

"If only you knew how much," he smiled, resting his forehead against hers. Suddenly he felt her face get really warms, her eyes looking away from him.

"Well," the soft shyness in her tone was unavoidably obvious, "you could show me."

He blinked in surprise, then his face relaxed into a smile. Capturing her lips in another kiss, he made his way towards her bed. Gently placing her down, he never broke their kiss as he placed a knee on one side of her. Being further away from the fire, the air grew colder and the walls became dark. With her arms still wrapped around his neck, she pulled him closer to her, yearning for his warmth.

His kiss traveled down to her neck, his hot breath sending chills down her spine. Reaching around to his back, she clung tightly to his shirt. A small chuckle escaped his lips as he sat up, pulling his shirt over his head. Her icy fingers traced from his chest down to his stomach as he sat over her.

"Better?" he asked, giving her a sensual tone new to her ears. The small amount of light gently bounced off of her eyes, making them appear black; he lost himself in them. As her fingertips circled around his torso, he eyed down her nightgown.

Lowering himself over her again, he continued where he left off at her neck. His fingers tip-toed to her opposite shoulder, pulling the strap down over it. For some reason, this excited her more, bringing one knee up to his side. Her soft leg rubbed against his side as he took hold of it just below the knee, bringing it up further. Lifting his head up, he moved the other strap down over her should, exposing more of her chest.

"Raeger," she gasped, feeling the fire inside her starting to burn. Gripping onto his shoulders, she felt his lips against her chest, close to the top of her breast. Never responding to her, he carefully pulled down the top of her nightgown, his other hand sliding up her leg to her stomach.

Throughout the night, the edges of her bed were tightly clung to as they both gave in to each other, both of their names echoing through the house over and over as the fire popped and crackled.


	16. Anticipating the Next Night

**Chapter Sixteen: Anticipating the Next Night**

The storm lasted three days and three nights. Wind from the third day blew a good amount of snow away, making it easier for people to clear the streets, allowing them to be more accessible. After a few days time, Oak Tree Town returned to normal winter days with light flurries.

Licorice was cuddled next to Fritz on his small sofa at his home. Since the storm ended, she had spent most of her spare time with him, either at his place or hers. The sight of them being apart was now a rarity.

Fritz couldn't be happier to finally have Licorice as his girlfriend, a girl he's swooned over in silence for months. He never thought she would agree to go out with him, considering only a short while ago, she considered him a nuisance and a failure. Over time, she warmed up to him as he proved himself. Little did he know, her feelings for him were still on the fence.

As much as she wanted to love him as much as he did her, she often found herself still thinking of Klaus and his harsh words. She had hoped that after that day, her school girl crush on him would finally leave her, but they did just the opposite. Constantly thinking about the book he gave her, she couldn't help but wonder why he expected her to take it as a simple gift. They weren't exactly friends, so why would he give such a thoughtful gift to an acquaintance? It wasn't in his nature to be overly-friendly to just anybody. Twiddling her fingers together as she blankly stared at the wall, she failed to notice Fritz get up to turn on the television.

"Rish, did ya here me?" Fritz asked her with a confused look, noticing her odd expression as she snapped back to reality.

"Oh!" her fingers came apart, turning her full attention to him. "Sorry, no, I didn't. What did you say?"

"I asked ya if there was anythin' ya wanted to watch."

"Uhm, how about the weather?"

"The weather? Uh, yah, why not?"

Changing the channel to Lillie's weather report, Licorice rested up against Fritz, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. She knew how much he really loved her, and with that, she knew she had to get over her feelings for Klaus before they became too obvious and destroyed what they were trying to build together.

 _"Good morning, everybody!"_ Lillie's overly cheerful expression lit up the room as she stood in front of a projected screen of numbers.

"The world could be comin' to an end and she'd _still_ be happy about it," Fritz commented with a wry smile, somewhat annoyed by Lillie's sweet tone.

"Hush!" Licorice shushed. He chuckled at her reaction.

 _"I do hope all of you are faring well now that the big storm is over and moving away from us. With the Starlight Gala coming up, we want to have calm, clear skies for the event, which I'm fairly certain we'll have a 80% of getting!"_

"Oh!" Licorice exclaimed, perking up in her seat. "I almost forgot about the Starlight Gala!"

The Starlight Gala was a big event for Oak Tree Town. Despite the snowy weather, people from villages far and wide came to the small festival for the town had the best viewing available. It was also considered a very romantic event, encouraging couples from the cities to endure the long trip just to enjoy it. This event created the most tourism during the winter time.

"I'm sure we'll be going together this year?" Fritz asked, his cheeks turning pink. Licorice nodded, giving him a small smile.

"Of course we are," she replied, "I mean, we are a couple. Who else am I going to go with?"

"Hey, I've got an idea!"

"Yeah?"

"Let's make it a double date! With Kiki and Raeger!"

"I'm sure we'll see them there, but I bet they'll want to be alone when the main event starts." She gave him a soft look, hinting that she also wouldn't mind a little alone time during the star event.

"Aww, man. Ya think so?"

"What's wrong with being alone during such a romantic time?" Her eyes fluttered as she leaned in closer to him. He finally took notice to what she was nudging at, making his cheeks turn even pinker.

"OH! Uh, nothing!" Backing up slowly to the armrest of his sofa, he was caught off guard by her sudden flirtatious gesture. His heart racing, he swallowed the lump in his throat before tucking a strand of her hand behind her ear. "Some romance could be good fer us."

The smile on her face grew at his words, her heart skipping a beat from his softened tone. He leaned forward and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Her eyes widened, but soon closed from being pulled into the moment. She had expected their first kiss to be a little different, but she wasn't displeased with it. As he pulled away, he gave her his infamous grin.

"You're such a goof," she mumbled, resting her head on his chest. His heart softly beat against her ear.

"Whatdya say?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head, growing nervous from their closeness.

"Nothing, don't worry about it."

"'Kay... Hey, aren't ya meeting Kiki at the store today?"

Licorice sat straight up, her head swiftly turning to the clock above the fireplace. It was 11:30am, the same time she was supposed to meet with Akiko at Otmar's general store.

"AH!" she exclaimed, jumping up from the sofa and running to the front door. Fritz was dazed as he remained on the sofa, then turned to see her struggling to put her boots and coat on simultaneously. He did his best to hold back a laugh knowing it would only frustrate her more.

"I'm sorry," she grumbled, pulling her arms through her coat, "I hate to leave so suddenly, but I'm late. Call me later?"

"Ya know I will," he replied in a cheesy suave tone, trying to pull off his best 'pretty boy' look, instantly bringing a smile to her face before she rushed out the door, almost tripping over her own feet.

"Good thing the store isn't too far from here!" she panted as she carefully ran over the slippery stone bridge, making her way to Oak Tree Town. Quickly turning the corner, she burst through the doors of the general store, startling Otmar, the owner, who jumped up from his stool behind the front counter.

"Gee wiz!" he hollered in his raspy voice, grasping onto his chest as his glasses dangled from his ears as they almost flew off, "You darn near gave this poor old man a heart attack!"

"Sorry, Otmar!" Licorice ran over to him with apologetic eyes, "I was just running late and I-"

Her words were lost when she realized she was the only customer in the store. Glancing over at the ticking grandfather clock, she was almost ten minutes late, but Akiko wasn't even there. Sighing with relief and frustration, she collapsed to the floor, holding onto the edge of the front desk.

"Don't tell me I ran all the way here and she's late, too!" she groaned as she fell to her knees, feeling foolish. Suddenly, her ears caught the sound of the tiny bell at the door. Looking over her shoulder, she caught the sight of Akiko calmly walking through the door, her face red from the cold air. With eyes of fire, Licorice zoomed up to her, pointing her finger in blame.

"You're late!" she shouted, hoping to hide the fact that she had only arrived a moment before.

"Sorry," Akiko replied, dusting off the snow from the edge of her skirt, completely at ease with her tardiness, "I hope you weren't waiting too long."

"Only ten minutes," Licorice huffed exaggeratedly, folding her arms as she turned her nose up in the air, under the impression that she was going to get away with her own late appearance. "What's the point of scheduling times if people are just going to be late anyways?"

"You just got here yurself!" Otmar shouted, shaking his fist in the air, still angry at the scare she had given him early. "Damn kids!" Licorice's face turned tomato red as she kept her composure, her eyes nervously glancing to Akiko.

"Then why are you getting so worked up?" Akiko asked with frustration.

"Look, we were both late," Licorice forced a smile to make avoiding the topic easier, "let's just move on now. Geez, it's in the past now."

"Uhm, okay," Akiko mumbled, confused by her friend's strange behavior, "anyways, it's good to see you. I hope the storm wasn't too harsh on you."

"Nah, I just read the entire time. I called Fritz a few times, but other than that-"

"I'm so happy you two are finally together! It's just so cute!"

"Yeah, I like it."

"That didn't sound too convincing, but let's talk on the way to the antique shop. I need to pick up a few things. Do you mind?"

"No, not at all."

The girls headed out the door and headed towards the antique shop in the western plaza. Licorice told Akiko how she was feeling about Klaus and how those feelings were interfering with her developing feelings for Fritz. It was starting to weigh her down, and she wanted it figured out before it started to negatively affect their relationship. She had even wrote down her feelings on pieces of paper as if she were writing a letter to Klaus in order to get her thoughts straight.

Akiko explained to her that her she need to let go of the fact that a relationship with Klaus was probably never going to happen and that she needed to focus on what was happening now, which was her relationship with Fritz. She didn't know how long she had these feelings for Klaus, but the sooner her friend moved on from those feelings, the happier she would be. Encouraging the letter writing, she felt that was a good way to relieve stress, but should definitely keep them away from Fritz to avoid any drama. Agreeing to meet with Licorice later, she wanted to see what she had written in the letters in hopes of better understanding these feelings of hers.

Entering the antique shop, the girls moved onto another conversation, not wanting the gossiping siblings to have something new to toss back and forth all over town. Mistel was sitting on one of the many different armchairs, looking bored as he flipped through one of his sister's novels she had asked him to proofread before she sent it in for publishing. Noticing the customers, he gently set the book down, slapping a welcoming smile on his face, which only grew mischievous as he noticed Akiko.

"Hello, ladies," he greeted chivalrously, "how can I be service to you today?"

"Hi, Mistel," Akiko greeted with a large smile, "can I get some of those yellow pearls? I need them to complete one of my orders."

"For the trade depot? I thought the trade depot was closed until spring."

"Yeah, but this vendor always asks for yellow pearls in spring, so I thought I'd get a head start."

"I see. Just a moment." Reaching under the counter for the case of pearls, he decided to play one of games.

"I heard you and Raeger have been seeing one another," Mistel called out rather loudly, "I hope that's been going well."

"Oh, yeah, it's been great," Akiko responded, thrown off by the seemingly random topic, even more so by the volume of his voice.

"You two seem like such a charming couple," he stood up with the box of pearls, his voice booming, "How many?"

"Uh, seven."

Licorice eyed Mistel carefully, suspicion growing in her stomach. Him and his sister were well known for their games, and she wanted no part of it. Before anything else could be said, the sound of heavy footsteps on the stairs echoed through the room. The girls turned their head towards the stairs to find Klaus standing before them.

"Klaus!" Akiko exclaimed, feeling a knot forming in her stomach. Klaus greeted the girls with a smile, oblivious to the growing tension in the room.

"Ladies, what a surprise," he greeted, his smile unwavering, "What brings you two here on a day like this?"

"We were just, uhm," Akiko was at a loss for words, feeling awkward just giving him eye contact. Her nerves were on edge from the coincidence that he was there after the girls' conversation just moments earlier focused on him.

"Akiko needed to fill an order for a vendor," Licorice spoke bravely, her expression serious as she tried to subside the clenching feeling in her chest.

"Oh, I see," Klaus glanced over at her with a smile. He hadn't seem her since the day he confessed about the book. With that in mind, he had hoped it was a thing of the past, something never to be brought up again, but doubt began to grow as he took notice to her serious demeanor. His smile, however, eased some of the tension she was feeling. "I hope the storm wasn't too much for either of you."

"No, not at all," the girls answered simultaneously as they shook their heads, smiling nervously.

"That's good to hear," Klaus then took notice to Akiko's coat and scarf, "I'm happy to see that you're still enjoying the coat."

"Oh! Yes," Akiko responded, her anxiety quickly dissipating as she flashed him her captivating smile, the topic change sending waves of relief to her stomach, "Thanks again! I absolutely love it." Klaus's heart skipped at her smile. Without any hesitation, he reached out and grasped the end of her black scarf, rubbing the soft material between his fingers.

"The scarf matches it quite well," he complemented, his golden eyes growing soft as he let the scarf slip through his fingers.

"Thank you," Akiko winced a little, "it was also a gift."

"You seem to be very popular," Klaus chuckled, "I'm sorry to cut our visit short, but I must be returning to my work. Hopefully, we'll see each other at the Starlight Gala."

"Yeah, we'll be going," Licorice smiled, linking her arm in with Akiko's, "we'll see you there, I'm sure!"

Klaus nodded before he left out the door. Akiko glanced over to Licorice with a lost expression.

"What's the Starlight Gala?"

"Are you serious?" Licorice was stunned, her eyes widening. "You were here last winter, weren't you?"

"Yes, but Eda was very ill, so I tended to her for most of that winter."

"To put it simply, it's a star gazing festival Oak Tree Town hosts every winter," Mistel put in as he straightened up a few documents on the front counter in a pleasing manner, "considered by many to be romantic, couples attend to view the clear night sky, catching a few shooting stars."

"Sounds like fun," Akiko responded with an excited grin.

"I'm sure Raeger will fill you in on the, ahem, _details_ ," Licorice smiled teasingly, "We should get going. Thanks, Mistel! See you later!"

"What _details_?" Akiko blushed as Licorice rushed them out of the store, who kept insisting that they had other errands to run, avoiding the topic. Urging her friend down the stairs, a sudden thought rose to the top of Licorice's mind.

 _I wonder what Klaus intended when he gave Akiko that coat._ She kept that thought to herself, thinking maybe it was just her imagination getting out of control.

As the door closed behind them, Iris appeared at the bottom of the stairs, the grin on her face abnormally large.

"I'm surprised you didn't show up earlier," Mistel commented.

"I could hear everything from where I was," she replied, walking over to her novel that he was proofreading, stroking the cover as she picked it up, "Why did you lure Klaus down here?"

"I wanted to see how he interacted with Akiko. I didn't think he'd take the bait."

"Are you kidding? He practically ran down here just to see her. The man is infatuated with girl, after all. Why must you tease him so?"

"It's all fun and games."

Displeased with his answer, Iris approached him with the book still in hand. Mistel noticed the irritated look on her face before she lightly smacked the book on the back of his head.

"What was that for?!" Mistel demanded, rubbing the spot she had struck him.

"You're such a fool," Iris responded, her tone firm and demanding, "do you honestly think you're helping?"

"What do you-"

"We had discussed it during the time we spent over at Klaus's house, only a few days ago. Even if he admitted his feelings for the girl, he doesn't want to interfere with her relationship with that chef. Now, even though Klaus is a respectable man, temptation can be difficult to overcome, even for him. Show some respect and keep out of it."

Mistel stood there, shocked that such a speech came from his gossiping sister. His expression quickly became somber, eying her suspiciously.

"You're going to add that to your book, aren't you?" he sighed. Iris began to twirl around, bringing her hands up to her face as her cheeks flushed pink.

"What do you think?" she resounded. "Do you think my readers will love it?"

* * *

"I'll have to talk to Akiko about it."

"C'mon! Doesn' a double date sound like fun?"

Fritz was sitting at one of the tables, stuffing his face with a piece of cobbler as he discussed a double date to the Starlight Gala with Raeger who was leaning against the table next to him as they spoke.

"I don' even 'member seeing Kiki there las 'ear," Fritz remarked with a mouth full of cobbler, bit of food dribbling out of his mouth as he spoke, "'m sure she'd love t' go this 'ear."

Annoyed with his bad table manners, Raeger picked up the cloth napkin next to the plate and threw it in Fritz's face.

"HEY!" Fritz coughed, stunned by the sudden loss of sight as the cloth covered his face.

"Don't talk with your damn mouth full," Raeger retaliated with an annoyed tone, bringing his hand up to his forehead. Wiping his face clean, Fritz gave the chef a disgruntled look.

"Ya didn' have to throw it in my face!" Fritz retorted, glaring up at his friend.

"Sure I did," Raeger responded, "that way, you'll remember to never do it again."

"Why, you-!"

Before Fritz could let out his angry thoughts, they were interrupted by the sound of the door. Both turning their attention towards the front, they saw the girls enter from the cold outdoors, bringing an instant smile to the guys' faces. Being a few days since she had seen him, Akiko rushed up to Raeger, throwing her arms around him. Licorice calmly sat down next to Fritz, noticing his slightly disgruntled look.

"What's wrong with you?" Licorice asked, picking up his fork and stealing a bite of his cobbler.

"Nothin'," Fritz pouted, but soon smiled as he saw the pleased look on his girlfriend's face, "it's good, yah?" Her eyes glistened with happiness as she turned towards him and nodded.

"I missed you," Akiko proclaimed, looking into Raeger's eyes as his arms wrapped tightly around her. "I'm sorry I couldn't come down sooner."

"It's alright," Raeger responded, returning her gaze as he rest his forehead against hers, bringing their faces close, causing her cheeks to flush pink, "I missed you, too." He turned around to Licorice, who kept stealing bites of Fritz's cobbler. "You know, I get you a piece of your own."

"That would be best," Licorice replied, shoving another bite into her mouth, ignoring Fritz's expression of despair as he watched his delicious dessert slowly disappear before his eyes.

Releasing his grip on Akiko, he disappeared to the kitchen to grab a piece of cobbler for everybody. Akiko took a seat across from Licorice, who was doing her best to stop eating her boyfriend's dessert. She couldn't help herself and began to laugh at Fritz's expression. Raeger quickly returned with three more pieces, setting them on the table. Sitting next to her, they helped themselves to a little treat as they discussed the double date.

"Not that I don't _want_ to do the double date," Akiko began, setting her fork down, "but I haven't been to the Starlight Gala before, so I'm not even sure what to expect."

"You didn't go last year?" Raeger asked, stunned. She didn't realize how popular the event was.

"No, I was helping Eda," Akiko repsonded, "That's why I wasn't down here much last winter."

"Well, it's just how Mistel described it," Licorice put in after finishing the last bite to her cobbler, "It's a romantic thing a lot of couples like to go to so they can watch the stars. There's a few booths that sell food and drinks, and a couple of games. It's really fun."

"Yah!" Fritz exclaimed. "And when the star gazin' starts, they turn off all the lights for, uh, _ahem_ , ya know... It's awesome!"

"The stars will take your breath away," Raeger commented, giving her a smile, "you'd love it."

"Wow, that sounds amazing!" Akiko perked up, getting excited. "When is it?"

"Tomorrow," Licorice replied. "It would be fun if we all go together. I'm sure we'll split up when the star gazing starts, though."

"Why?" Akiko asked, tilting her head to the side. She then felt Raeger's hand stroke her knee from under the table, out of sight from the others, catching her attention.

"It's the main reason why people tend to bring a date," he responded softly, flashing her a quick wink. Akiko could feel her cheeks turn pink as memories of that memorable night flashed through her mind, their bodies moving together as their lips locked together. Ever since that night, their love for each other plunged deeper than they ever thought possible. She had never felt so close to anyone before, and couldn't be happier that she felt that way for the first time with him.

"So, whatdya say, Kiki?" Fritz asked, wrapping an arm around Licorice's shoulder, pulling her into a side embrace as if he were going to pose for a portrait.

"Oh!" Akiko snapped back to reality, turning her eyes to Fritz, clearing her throat. " _Ahem_ , yeah, that, uh, sounds like fun!"

"YEAH!" Fritz shot up from his chair, throwing his fists up into the air, making Licorice burst into laughter. Akiko turned her eyes back to Raeger who was still staring at her with soft eyes and a gentle smile. Her thoughts of him had left a glint of deep love in her eyes, which he saw right away. The hand on her knee slid up her thigh, his fingertips gliding under the edge of her skirt.

"Ah!" she exclaimed, jumping a little at the tickling sensation from his touch. Quickly withdrawing his hand to avoid getting caught by the others, he picked up his fork and finished up his cobbler, as if nothing happened.

"Is everything okay?" Licorice asked, perplexed by her friend's seemingly random reaction.

"Y-yeah! I'm fine!" Akiko blushed, pulling down her skirt under the table as she tried to recompose herself.

"If you say so.. Oh, wow! Look at the time! Akiko, are we still going to my place?" The girls had agreed to go to Licorice's home to look over the letters discussed earlier.

"Oh, yeah, of course, but I'll meet you there in a little bit. I'm going to stay and help Raeger clean up."

"Alright, I'll see you then." With that, Licorice stood up and made her way to the door. Quickly tossing money down on the table, Fritz soon followed her, making a quick gesture of farewell to his friends. Akiko stood up and began gathering all the plates, avoiding eye contact with Raeger, who went to put the money in the cash register. Nervously dashing towards the kitchen, she took the dishes to the sink and washed them all.

Drying her hands, she glanced around to find him now that her nerves had settled, and found him nowhere. Hearing soft footsteps above her, she concluded that he gone up to his apartment. Grabbing her coat and scarf from the coat rack, she made her way upstairs, her heartbeat beating hard against her chest.

 _Why would he do that in front of our friends?_ she thought, her cheeks warm from blushing as she watched her feet climb up the stairs. The memory of his hand sliding up her leg sensually flashed through mind briefly as she opened the door atop the stairs.

"Raeger?" she called out softly as she shut the door behind her. It didn't take long for her to notice him leaning against the back of sofa with his arms folded, as if he was waiting for her. After she set down her belongings, she slowly made her way towards him, afraid of making any eye contact. Coming to a halt as she finally approached him, she kept her hands together in front of her and stared at his chest in front her. She could barely make out the gentle smile on his face from the edge of her eyesight.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly, concerned with their lack of eye contact. She turned her head to the side, a little frustrated.

"Why would you touch me like that in front of our friends?" she demanded, her tone firm, yet nervous. "What if they had noticed?"

"But they didn't, did they? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"What? No, you didn't.. you just.."

Not giving her a chance to finish, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into him. His lips quickly met hers, softly moving against them.

"Just what?" he whispered sensually, keeping his hold on her tight as he felt her body quiver.

"Raeger, I-" his kisses took her words away as she gave in to him. _You just made me want you, like this._

"I really missed you," his lips caressed the skin on her neck as he spoke, "it was hard to resist touching you."

"I.. I missed your touch," she gasped, her hands grasping onto his chest. Her words sent a warm vibe down his spine.

"Be careful, saying things like that will make it harder to stop."

Slowly releasing his grip from her waist, she finally met his eyes which were burning with desire, pulling her in. She wanted him so badly, but remembered that Licorice was waiting for her.

"I can't," she whispered hoarsely, never breaking away from his eyes. "Licorice, she-" Her words were stolen away as his lips softly pressed against hers again.

"I know," he whispered back between kisses, "There's always another time."

Guiding her over to the sofa, they discussed plans for the next day. They decided to just meet at the trade depot around 8:30pm, a little while after the festival started. Akiko started to get excited, going to festivals were always fun. After chatting for a while, she finally noticed the time. It had been a little over an hour since Licorice left the restaurant.

"Oh, no!" Akiko exclaimed. "I should get going, I've kept Licorice waiting for quite a while now."

"I'll see you tomorrow then?" Raeger asked, stroking her hair.

"I suppose," Akiko sighed, "it already seems like forever away." She rested her head on his shoulder, then felt his arm wrap around her back as he began to lower her onto the cushions of the sofa. Hovering over her, he adjusted one of his legs to the floor and the other on one side of her leg. Gently grabbing her jaw, he turned her face away, opening up her neck.

"Raeger," she gasped, trying to hide the craving in her tone, "what are you doing?" She could feel his lips turn to a smile against the skin on her neck.

"Think of it as a preview," he whispered teasingly, "something to hold us off for a little bit longer."

"Preview? To wha-"

Her words were once again stolen from her as she felt a sweet pain against the side of her neck. His hand moved from her back and rubbed her inner thigh, simply increasing the fire she felt inside herself. After that night, he knew how much she really loved it, though he couldn't deny that he shared her love for it. It was another way for him to get closer to her, show his true love for her. Having not seen her since the storm ended, he yearned to be with her, but had to keep in mind that she needed to leave. He hoped this would be enough for both of them until the next night.

Moving his lips down her neck slightly, the sweet pain built up in her chest. Letting out a quiet moan, she arched her back, pressing herself against him.

 _She's going to make it difficult to stop,_ he thought, feeling his heart beat pound against his chest, now pressed against hers.


	17. Red Flags

**Chapter Seventeen: Red Flags  
**

Raeger's hand glided under Akiko's skirt, rubbing her inner thigh as she arched up against him. He knew she had to leave, but she made it tough to resist. The time they had spent together during the storm plunged him deeper in love. When he returned home, both of them had much to do, getting their property back to shape. They hadn't seen in each other in a few days, making him miss her more than he expected to.

His lips grew tighter on her neck with each moan she let out. She pushed her body closer to his, yearning for his touch. Her legs shook at the sensation of his fingers rubbing against her inner thigh, his forefinger tracing against the lace trim of her underwear. For her, it was overwhelming to feel this much passion, but she was starting to become addicted to being this close to him. Her mind flashed to the first night they made love, how close she felt to him.

"R-Raeger," she gasped, running her fingers through his hair as he brought his face up to meet hers, supporting himself on his elbows as he carefully hovered over her. His deep eyes rendered her speechless as he gazed at her, giving her a teasing smile.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. Pushing himself up, he sat upright on the sofa before pulling her up next to him. Akiko sat on her knees on the cushion as she stared at Raeger. He was leaning his head back, staring at the ceiling, the smile never leaving his face. "We shouldn't be so careless when we have so little time before you need to leave."

Her face turned red as she started to feel cold without his touch. As her fingers clenched at the fabric of her skirt, a coy smile complemented her face.

"Why not?" her voice was barely audible, her eyes turning towards the floor in embarrassment. "I don't mind sparing some time for you. I think Licorice can wait little longer if-"

Raeger grabbed both of her arms, lifted her up, and positioned her on his lap, straddling him. Her hands naturally found their way to his chest to help keep balance until she got situated. With her face turning bright red, she turned away from him, afraid to look him in the eye, but his gentle hand quickly caught her chin, turning her face back to his.

"Is that so?" he murmured, a fire lighting up in his eyes. His thumb softly stroked her chin as he leaned up to meet her lips, starting the kiss off slowly. As his hand strokes her thigh, he felt the tensity in her legs. Parting from her lips just barely, he whispered, "There's no need to be shy. Just focus on me, nothing else."

Akiko bravely met his eyes with hers, finding herself lost in them. Her surroundings soon became dark and blurred as she gave him her undivided attention. Nothing else mattered, nothing in the world, except for him.

 _I want you_ , she thought as she softly kissed him, her eyes slowly closing as she gave into him. _I want you all to myself_. She could feel his lips curl against hers as his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

"See?" he whispered in between the kisses. "It's just you and me right now. You, me, and our love." His words made her heart skip, warm waves washing through her body. Their kisses getting deeper, her legs relaxed against him and her fingers didn't tremble as they normally would as they held onto his chest.

His tongue slid past her lips, rubbing against hers as he moaned quietly. As she kissed him back, her fingers found their way to the top button of his shirt and carefully began to undo it. Now feeling her body relax, his hand slid up her back and unzipped her dressed down to her lower back. Her fingers now trailing down his shirt, taking care of each button, his chest could feel the cold air caress it as it became exposed.

"Raeger," Akiko used her Raeger-sweet tone as she pulled away from their kiss, "I love you."

"I love you, too," Raeger responded with a large grin, his heart leaping at her voice. Gently pulling down the top of her dress, exposing her bra, his lips beckoned her to come back. Their passionate kisses continued as she pulled her arms out of the sleeves of her dress. His free hand traveled back under her skirt, dancing at the rim of one of her stockings. Tucking a couple fingers in, he pulled it down over her knee and began to rub her thigh, squeezing in areas that got her excited, occasionally teasing her inner thigh as it skirted by the lace.

The other hand still remained on her back, but slowly went back up again to unclasp her bra. Finally, her fingers finished with the last button, completely exposing his chest and stomach. Her breathing became erratic, the excitement building up in her core as she stroked the skin on his chest with her cold fingers.

"Raeger," she moaned his name gently, feeling her bra suddenly loosen up as the clasps snapped free. Pulling it off, he lowered his face down to her chest and his tongue toyed with her breasts. Entangling her fingers in his hair, the build up she felt inside her was about to drive her crazy as her breathing grew louder, her back arching into him again. Missing her lips, he raised his face to meet them again, continuing their kiss as his hand took over, squeezing her breasts with his strong fingers.

Doing her best to concentrate, her fingers danced down to his stomach, frantically looking for his belt. Finding the buckle, she began to tug at the strap until it was loose. As she did so, his breathing became heavier, the excitement driving him wild as his hands continued to caress her as their bodies moved against each other.

Just as his belt was about to be completely undone, they heard a faint ringing noise coming from down stairs. It was the front door to his restaurant, opening to customers just entering for the early dinner rush. The chatter of people traveled upstairs, giving the cue that their time was now over.

"Damn," Raeger sighed in frustration as he turned his head towards the door of the apartment. Turning back to face her, she could see the fire in his eyes fighting to stay alive as it grew dim. "Looks like we'll have to continue this another time."

Akiko nodded in disappointment, the frustration in his voice clear. She stood up from the couch and quickly put her clothes back on. As she bent down to pull up the one stocking he pulled down, she looked up at him. He was buttoning up shirt, the look on his face had changed from irritation to sadness. Noticing her eyes on him, he flashed her a reassuring smile.

"I was hoping to have more time with you," he remarked as he fixed his belt, flashing her a quick wink to ease the tension.

"So was I," she responded, her voice quiet, "but we'll have that date tomorrow. We'll have all the time in the world."

"I'm glad to hear that. I need to get down there, but you should wait a minute before you come down."

"Of course. I don't want to interfere with anything."

Flashing her another smile, he threw his vest on and quickly paced down the stairs. She could faintly hear him apologizing to his customers for making them wait, then graciously taking them all to tables. Unsure of how long she should wait, she decided to freshen up in the bathroom to pass a little time.

Turning on the light, the first thing she noticed was how messy her hair had gotten. Disgruntled, she did her best to fix it how it was before, but as she turned her head, she dropped the brush in shock.

"AH!" she gasped loudly, her eyes wide with horror.

Raeger had left several red marks along the side of her neck. Overwhelmed with embarrassment, she struggled to figure out how to hide them, the only thing coming to mind was her scarf. Sighing deeply, she grabbed it and wrapped it tightly around her neck. She didn't wear any make up, so cover up was out of the question.

 _Lillie should have some!_ she thought confidently. Finally prepared to go, she threw on her coat and tip-toed down the stairs. Peering around the corner, she was amazed to see how full the restaurant had gotten. _So many people! Oh, right, the Starlight Gala is tomorrow. They must be from nearby villages._

When she felt that everyone's attention was away from the front, she quickly and quietly dashed out the door. No one noticed the door open and close, the roar inside was too loud to hear the bell.

Back in the kitchen, a large grin turned up Raeger's cheeks as he frantically flipped food in the hot pans. He had never felt so excited about the Starlight Gala before, but now he had someone to share it with. Someone he deeply loved.

Running through the icy streets of Oak Tree Town, Akiko rushed over to the Inn, worried that Licorice would be upset that she made her wait so long. She felt a knot form in her stomach as she tried to think of a viable excuse, but her mind drew a blank.

Bursting through the doors of the Inn, the lobby was packed with people from nearby villages and far away cities to see the Starlight Gala the following day. Weaving in between the crowd, Akiko found the stairs and ran up them, getting more nervous. Reaching Licorice's door, she rushed her knocks. The door quickly opened before her.

"I'm sorry I'm this late!" Akiko apologized as she entered the room.

"We didn't have a set time," Licorice retorted rather calmly, "but I thought you said you were going to meet me after you helped Raeger clean up."

"I did! I mean, I was! Argh, I mean-"

"What on earth were you doing?"

"I, uh, helped him prepare for the dinner rush. There was a lot of people, so I helped set up a few more tables."

"Oh, okay. Anyways, do you want to see the letters?"

"Yeah, let's see."

Licorice sheepishly made her way to her desk, picking up the book that Klaus had given to her and handing it to Akiko, who just stood there holding the book in confusion.

"The letters I wrote," Licorice said quietly as she turned to face the window, "I keep them in the book."

"Oh," Akiko replied, carefully letting the front cover fall in her hands, revealing pieces of paper, all addressed to Klaus, "do you mind if I read them all?"

"No, go ahead. I need to know what do with them."

Setting her coat on the hook behind the door, Akiko found a comfortable spot on the bed, keeping the scarf securely around her neck. Most of the letters were short, expressing feelings of loneliness or joy, almost as if they were small journal entries, but the longest letter was the most detailed. It started off with confessing how long she's loved Klaus, which was since she moved to Oak Tree Town as a young teenager. Claiming that she 'admired him in silence,' her love for him went back years. The letter ended explaining that she now realizes that they will never be in a relationship, so she wants to move on, but finds it difficult to do so, especially after what he said to her about the book. Fritz was mentioned briefly, saying that she did have feelings for him, and that she wanted them to be as deep as the ones she felt for Klaus, but isn't quite sure how long that would take.

"' _Why is it that you never seem to leave my thoughts?_ '" Akiko read the remaining lines of the letter aloud, "' _Why does it seem like my mind wants to move on, but my heart refuses to?_ '" She looked up in heartfelt sadness, which seeped into her from the letter. Licorice still stood by the window, watching the small puffs of snow gently float down.

"What should I do?" Licorice asked, her voice sounded nearly desperate, her heart clenching in her chest. She truly felt lost, unable to move forward, especially with Fritz.

"I, well," Akiko struggled to find the right advice as she placed the letters back in the book before setting it down next to her, "does Fritz know any of this yet?"

"No, I don't know how he would react if he did.."

"Probably not very well. He's liked you for a long time, you know."

"I really do want to be with him, but how do I-"

"What do you really want, Licorice? That's the most important thing. Sounds like you're holding onto these feelings because you still want to be with Klaus."

"But, I can never be with him. He doesn't see me that way."

"Do you really want to be with Fritz? Or are you just trying to convince yourself that you do?"

Licorice's eyes widened at the question, turning towards Akiko to see a somewhat annoyed look on her face.

"Look," Akiko sighed, quickly changing her expression to be more neutral, "you're my best friend, but Fritz is my friend, too. I don't want to see him get hurt."

The botanist had no reply. Narrowing her eyes, she glanced back at the book. She didn't want to believe that her feelings for Fritz were a product of her trying to move on from Klaus as soon as possible.

"In any case," Akiko started, "whichever you decide, do it quickly. The faster, the better." She stood up from the bed, stretching her arms above her head. Her friend remained silent, almost saddened by the question asked moments earlier.

"I do have feelings for Fritz," Licorice confirmed, walking over the bed, picking up the book, "but, I-"

She stroked the cover of the book, replaying what Akiko just said through her mind as her fingers traced over the embossed lettering. As her heart played tug-o-war, she seated herself at the edge of the bed, a lump in her throat preventing the words from leaving her mouth. Her friend sat back down next her, placing a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"Personally," she started as she pulled Licorice in close, "I think you need to get over these feelings for Klaus before you can have a relationship with anyone. Don't let this unrequited love hold you back from other opportunities to be happy." She could feel her shoulders start to shake under her arm as she lowered her head to hide the welling tears.

"You're right," Licorice's voice croaked, "but when should I tell him? Fritz, I mean.."

"I don't know. He's been looking forward to the Starlight Gala, so maybe-"

"After. I'll tell him after it's over." Licorice turned her side slightly to give Akiko a tight hug as she took a deep breath to steady her breathing, wiping away her tears. Her cheek brushed up against the soft black scarf around her friend's neck. Almost instantly forgetting about her heartache and tears, she quickly pulled away from her friend and narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"Why are you still wearing your scarf?" she asked sternly. "It's very warm in here, aren't you uncomfortable?"

"Well," Akiko's cheeks flushed red, her eyes turning away as she tried to find a reason, "I, uh, was just a little... uhm..."

"Just a little what? Cold? There's no way, you feel very warm."

"Yeah, but, it's helps me stay warmer," Akiko laughed nervously, knowing her lie was terrible. Licorice tugged the end of the scarf, pulling it loose, revealing the red marks on the side of her friend's neck. Her face quickly went into shock as she bolted up on her feet.

"When did you get _those_?!" Licorice almost shouted, covering her mouth with her hand.

"I'm sorry!" Akiko apologized as she wrapped the scarf back around her neck. "We haven't seen each other in a few days, and, well, we couldn't help it."

To her amazement, Licorice suddenly start laughing, wrapping her arms around her own stomach as she fell back on the bed. Akiko just sat there, unsure on how to respond to her reaction as she watched her laughter get louder.

"Is getting ' _down-and-dirty_ ' part of dinner preparation?!" Licorice laughed, turning over to laugh in her pillow.

"Hey, _hush_!" Akiko demanded, knowing that the walls of the Inn weren't very soundproof. "I don't need to the entire building to know!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Licorice's laugh began to die down as she sat up. "Seriously, though, when did this happen? You're not going to fill me in on the juicy details?"

"WHAT?! Why should I tell you things like that?"

"Come on, you have to!"

"DO NOT!"

After going back and forth for a short while, Akiko finally told Licorice that Raeger stayed with her during the storm. She briefly explained the second night he stayed and gave even less information on the last night he was there. Licorice was overcome with giddiness as she eagerly listened to her story.

"So, that's it," Akiko concluded, looking over at the wall, too embarrassed to look at her friend in the eye. "We had too much to do after the storm, neither of us had time to see each other. Today was the first day since he left back for home."

"Well," Licorice's cheeky grin spread across her face, leaning in closer mischeviously, "how was it?"

"Fantastic," Akiko sighed happily.

"Is that why you were so late today? You two were, ahem, ' _catching up_ '?"

Akiko gave Licorice an angry expression before turning her blushing face away, looking towards the window. Truly, she was hiding the tiny smile that spread across her lips.

The next day...

Akiko skipped down the frozen mountain path just as the sun hid behind the mountains. The air instantly grew colder, missing the warmth of the sunny rays. Though the snow was gone from the main path, the dirt of the path felt like stone as she headed down to Oak Tree Town.

The town was already dark by the time she had arrived. Most of the people were at the trade depot, enjoying the event. She knew she was running late, so she didn't bother stopping by the restaurant, in case Raeger was already waiting for her there. They had previously agreed to meet at one of the booths.

Approaching the infamous stone steps to the depot, she could see a colorful glow lighting up the area from the festive lights. Her pace quickened from excitement as her face lit up; the closer she got, the more she could see. The bright lights from the booths lit up the faces of the visitors with strings of lights going from pole to pole above them. The center of the depot was sectioned off, most likely for the star viewing.

As her feet paced down the steps, her eyes remained affixed to the beautiful lights. Nearing the last step, she felt the ball of her foot slip, causing her to fall forward. Preparing to hit ice cold pavement, she tightly shut her eyes. Her fall came to a warm stop, followed by a loud "OOF!" Strong arms held her up as she feet found the ground again.

"I'm so sorry!" Akiko apologized as she pulled away from the person, who still had a tight grip on her arm. "I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." She looked up to the tall figure, her eyes widening in surprise as she looked into his golden eyes.

"Are you hurt?" Klaus asked, concern evident in his eyes as he continued to hold onto her arms.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thank you. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Not at all. Can you walk?"

She looked down at the foot that slipped off the step and tapped the toe of her boot lightly against the stone pavement, then applied slight pressure to it as she stood on it normally. Looking back up to Klaus, she flashed him her beautiful smile, unintentionally sending his heart aflutter as his cheeks turned slightly pink.

"Everything seems fine," she beamed, oblivious to his reaction.

"I'm glad to hear it," he responded, his smile slowly growing as he released his grip on her arm, "I assume you're heading in?"

"Yes, I am, have you seen Raeger yet?" she asked, peering her face behind him, glancing at the large crowd beyond the main gate, missing the wince in his expression at the mention of the chef's name.

"No, I haven't," the tone of his voice became solemn.

"Oh, I see. Hmmm, I wonder where he could be... Are you here alone?"

"I came with Iris and Mistel, but it appears I've lost them in the crowd. I was stepping out for some quiet when I saw you coming down. Do you often arrive late to events like this?"

"What? No, I lost track of time tending to my animals. I'm not _that_ late!"

Klaus chuckled slightly at her last remark. Glancing down at her, she was still scanning the edge of the crowd for a glimpse of Raeger. He knew that there was nothing he could do to be at the forefront of her mind, but he wished to spend what little time he had with her. The desire in his heart would remain unheard.

"I can accompany you until we find him," he suggested, stretching his arm out to lead her towards the depot. She looked up at him sincerely as she tightened her scarf around her neck out of habit, not wanting him to see them and think any less of her.

"Are you sure you don't mind?" she asked sheepishly, nervously fiddling with her fingers. _He's never been so eager to have my company before.._

"Of course not. It wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me to leave you alone in a large crowd like that. Please." He held out his arm for her to hold in order for him to be a proper escort. Trying not to be rude, she grabbed his forearm as he led them into the crowd.

The grip on his arm didn't last long, for the moment she saw the booths, she ran right towards them to see the interesting things they were selling, mostly souvenirs shaped like moons or stars. Klaus calmly followed her around as he constantly watched her eyes sparkle with amazement. When he would finally catch up to her at a booth, she would point at something she found pretty or interesting.

"Wow, look at these ones!" Akiko exclaimed as she pointed at some handmade dolls of forest spirits from a nearby village. Klaus smiled at her expression as warmth filled his chest. As she leaned over the booth to examine the dolls, part of her scarf loosened up from her neck stretching forward. His eyes widened as he caught a glimpse of red marks on the side of her neck, briefly reminding him that her heart had been given to someone else. Looking off into space as these thoughts flooded his mind, his face drooped slightly.

"What's the matter?" her sweet voice brought him back to earth, the smile on his face quickly returning.

"I was simply wondering why you find such things so interesting," his response was quick, giving no reason for her to think otherwise of his previous silence.

"Well, the dolls are really cute, for one thing, and I never thought an event like this would be so much fun! There's so many new things to see!"

His eyes glistened as he watched her grin grow as she picked up one of the dolls, playing with the arm. _Just when I think I can overcome these feelings for you, you pull me back in unintentionally._

Just as she put the doll down, another figure appeared next to them. It was Kamil, who wore the biggest grin on his face.

"Akiko, it's nice to see you," Kamil greeted as she shoved his hands in his pockets, his teeth barely chattering.

"Kamil! It's good to see you, too," she replied, tightening the scarf around her neck after feeling it was loose, though she had no worries about him. The tension she once felt around him was now gone. It was comforting to know that she could have normal conversations with him again.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself."

"Yes, I this is my first Starlight Gala."

"Really? It's definitely an Oak Tree Tradition. Where's Raeger?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't been able to find him yet, but Klaus is keeping me company until I find him. I'm sure he'll be here soon."

Kamil moved his glance over to Klaus, who still had a warming smile on his face, his amber eyes glistening. He nodded his head in greeting towards Kamil, who slightly nodded back as his eyes grew wide, swallowing a small lump in his throat.

"Well, I should get back to my, uhm, _party_ ," Kamil cleared his throat as he smiled back at Akiko, "they'll be wondering where I've wandered off to."

" _Party_?" Akiko tilted her head. "Kamil, are you on a date?"

"I guess you could call it that," he smiled nervously at her question as he rubbed the back of his neck, "Elise asked me to come with her."

"Ooo, sounds romantic."

"It's not so bad. I hope you meet up with Raeger soon." With that Kamil waved goodbye as he turned on his heel and disappeared into the crowd.

Passing by the many couples, he couldn't help but think about the look he saw in Klaus' eyes as he stood next to Akiko. On his way to the event earlier, he overheard Elise gossiping with Lillie, claiming that she was discussing with Iris about a woman Klaus fancied, though she didn't reveal the woman's name. Kamil put the pieces together and assumed it must've been Akiko. His pace quickened at the thought.

Weaving in and out of the crowd frantically, his heart beat racing at an uncomfortable pace. _I need to find Raeger!_


	18. The Starlight Gala

**Chapter Eighteen: The Starlight Gala**

Customers flooded into the restaurant at sundown to squeeze in a hearty meal before heading towards the event. Doing his best not to rush, Raeger quickly took orders and cooked food in a timely fashion in an attempt to get them out the door as fast as possible, constantly glancing at the clock, knowing he was going to be late. Although he took joy in satisfied customers, he couldn't resist feeling regret for not closing early as he had originally planned.

As the last customer exited, he locked the door behind them and rushed his cleaning process. With his heart pounding in his chest from the adrenaline, he rushed up the stairs to quickly change into a fresh set of clothes. Sneaking a peek at the time as he brushed his hair, his teeth clenched as he saw he was almost an hour late.

 _I hope she won't be too mad at me_ , he thought as he bolted out the door, rushing down the stone steps leading to the trade depot.

Meanwhile, at the Starlight Gala...

Klaus continued to escort Akiko around the booths as she eagerly examined all the trinkets and souvenirs each one had to offer, admiring her expressions as her eyes scanned over them all. She grinned from ear to ear, excitement from the new experience overflowing from her energy, constantly sending his heart aflutter. His gaze remained affixed on her the entire time.

 _Her eyes never seem to stop shimmering_ , Klaus thought as he pretended to be as interested in the items as much as she was. _They truly resemble amethysts. Simply stunning._

Taking a break between booths, Akiko took a seat on one of the many benches. Klaus continued to stand, assuming the break wouldn't last long after seeing how excited she was, but he soon noticed the smile on her face had dissipated as she lowered her eyes to the ground, tightly clasping her hands together.

"Are you cold?" he asked, slightly concerned. She kept her body tightly together, afraid of letting him see the smile gone from her face, not wanting to burden anybody with her own concerns.

"No," she shook her head, clenching her fists onto her knees, keeping her head down, "I just thought Raeger would've come by now. What if he forgot?"

 _Of course, she's thinking about him. She always is..._

Klaus felt a small pain in his chest as he snapped back to reality, reminding himself that her heart belonged to another man. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he did his best to hide his feeling of envy, but failed to hide his feelings for her. Gently placing a few fingers under her chin, he slowly lifted her head up until their eyes met.

"Who could ever forget about someone like you?" A loving smile unintentionally spread across his lips, a smile not so common to his face, as his amber eyes grew soft as they stared deep into her gem-like eyes. Her eyes grew wide at his unexpected gesture as an uncomfortable knot grew in her stomach. Before she could say anything, the sound of a wooden cart strolling around caught her attention. The man steering it was selling hot drinks to warm any cold bodies.

"Perhaps a drink will calm your nerves," Klaus suggested, removing his hand from her chin, he made his way over to the cart to order two drinks for the both of them. Akiko's expression remained shocked as she watched him walk away, still confused from his touch.

 _Why would he do something like that?_ she thought, wrapping her arms around her stomach, trying to ease her discomfort. Though his grip on her chin was gentle, it was strong, making her feel overpowered, a feeling she rather disliked, especially after the incident at her own home with the rapist convict. It wasn't just the touch, but also the fact that he was much bigger than she was. Now realizing he was rather tall, she knew he could easily overpower her if he ever desired to do so.

The more she thought about it, the less comfortable she felt being alone with Klaus. The contact between their skin was brief, but she couldn't help but feel a strange flare emitting from his eyes as he gazed into hers.

"Akiko, are you sure you're alright?"

Her thoughts were interrupted by his deep voice as he held out a steaming hot mug in front of her. Accepting the hot mug into her hands, she peered into it, watching the thick steam twirl up from the dark colored beverage. Looking back up at him, she gave him a reassuring smile so he wouldn't notice her discomfort.

"I'm fine," she replied sweetly, "Thank you."

Klaus smiled as he nodded in response, bringing his mug up to his lips. Akiko looked back down at her cup, raising it up to her nose, taking a big whiff of the steam. Her lips instantly curled at the inviting aroma, carefully swallowing a few gulps, feeling the hot liquid travel down to her stomach. The warmth instantly spread throughout her body, making her feel as though she was sitting directly in front a fireplace.

"What is this?" she asked softly as she lowered the mug down to her lap, careful not to make eye contact with her escort.

"Buttered rum," he responded after consuming most of his beverage, a satisfying smile taking over his face, "do you like it?"

"Yes, very much."

"HEY, KIKI!"

Quickly turning her head at the sound of her name, she saw Fritz and Licorice making their way towards her, hand in hand, both having hot drinks of their own. Akiko noticed that his face was a little red, giving away that he already had a few to drink. Licorice's face beamed at the sight of her friend, but quickly calmed down when she took noticed to Klaus standing in front of her.

Standing up from the bench to greet them, the girls gave each other a quick hug. Fritz wrapped his arm around Licorice's shoulders as he finished off what was left in his cup.

"'Ave ya seen Rae yet?" Fritz asked. The goofy smile on his face seemed crooked as his words slurred out of his lips.

"Uhm, not yet," Akiko responded, nervously smiling as she watched try to keep his balance by grabbing a hold of his girlfriend.

"Seriously?" Licorice questioned, doing her best to keep most of Fritz's weight off of her. "Wasn't he supposed to meet you here an hour ago?"

"Yeah, he was.."

"Don' worry 'bout it, Kiki. My buddy Rae should be 'ere soon!"

"Fritz is right, I'm sure he'll arrive any minute now. There's no way he'd miss a night like this with you."

Akiko smiled at their reassuring words, easing the discomfort she felt, quickly forgetting about Klaus's presence, who only smiled as he observed her talk and laugh with her friends. Getting to see her cheerful expressions was a guilty pleasure of his, and he wanted to enjoy what he could before her boyfriend arrived.

* * *

Raeger weaved in and out of the large crowds as he hastily searched for Akiko. Guilt from being excessively late was starting to weigh him down, making him nervous as his search for her proved to be difficult. In the back of his mind, he began to worry if she left because she assumed he wasn't going to show up. The tips of his ears began to sting from the rush of cold air, so he slowed down his pace, but continued to scan through the many groups of people for the one person he was looking for.

Suddenly, his eyes caught a familiar face pushing through the crowd in his direction, one he had no desire to see. Trying to seem as though he never saw him, he turned in the other direction in order to avoid him. Then, to his surprise, the person called out to him.

"Raeger!" Kamil shouted as he caught up to him, trying to catch his breath.

"Oh, hey," Raeger greeted, his expression turning flat. He held no grudge against him, but the last time the two spoke was less than pleasant.

"I've been looking for you."

Raeger raised an eyebrow in confusion, cautious of Kamil's true motives.

"For me? Why, what do you need?"

"I just needed to talk to you for a moment. Can we go somewhere a little more quiet?"

Finding a spot near the edge of the trade depot where the crowd wasn't as heavy, Raeger gave Kamil his full attention, remaining suspicious.

"Okay, what did you want to talk about?" Raeger inquired, looking slightly annoyed as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat, "Make it quick."

"It's about Akiko," Kamil responded, completely ignoring the bad attitude. Raeger's attention was quickly caught at the mention of her name, making him believe that his assumptions were true.

"I thought we've already gone through this."

"What? No, not about that! It's about Klaus, too."

"Klaus? What does he have to do with this?"

"How close is Akiko with him?"

"They're barely friends. She's been to his house a few times for tea, but she's always been with somebody."

"Well, I have a solid feeling that he has feelings for her. You know, the way I did."

"How can you tell?"

"I'm not sure why, but he's with her right now, probably ran into and decided to follow her around."

"So? Klaus is a very chivalrous man. Chivalry is like a religious practice to the guy, I'm sure he's just-"

"No, that's not what it is. The glint in his eyes... I used to have the same look whenever I used to look at her. The eyes you have when you look at her now. They are the eyes of a man in love."

Raeger took a moment to let the words sink in, the hands in his pockets balling up into fists as he felt his chest get tighter. He was sure that Akiko had no feelings for Klaus, however, the events of his previous relationship began flashing through his mind, allowing doubt to settle in. The pain he felt as he discovered the betrayal his ex had done to him. At the time, he never thought he would allow himself to fall in love again, until he met Akiko. He struggled with denial when he met her, afraid to let his heart fall for another, but he lost that fight.

Akiko had brought a new light to his life, a light he was unwilling to give up so easily. Pushing out the doubt, he glared at Kamil with distrust.

"How do I know what you're telling me is true?" Raeger asked calmly, keeping eye contact with Kamil, who seemed almost shocked he would ask such a thing. Returning the glare, he realized what his intentions were behind the question.

"Listen," Kamil began, attempting to hide the anger in his voice, "I don't really care for you in particular, but I will _always_ love Akiko. I know now that she will never reciprocate my feelings, and I've accepted that. I'm only telling you to ensure Akiko's happiness, which lies with you, Raeger. I'd hate to see Klaus disrupt this new found happiness in her life. You fought to get her, now fight to keep her. Do something about Klaus before he makes a move of his own."

With the last word put in, Kamil turned around and disappeared back into the crowd before a response could be made from Raeger, who he had left slightly intimidated by his words.

 _He's right_ , Raeger thought, _I won't let this happen.. I have to find her. Now!_

Rushing back into the crowd, he made his way towards the middle of the trade depot. He reached the barricades, blocking off the middle for the star gazing event much later on. Squinting his eyes to filter out the bright colorful lights, he began to scan through the edge of the crowd. His heartbeat began to race, increasing the uneasiness he felt growing in his chest.

At last, he spotted her, almost directly across from where he stood. Fritz and Licorice could clearly be seen standing next to her, laughing and having a good time. Then, he noticed Klaus, towering above them all, standing close to Akiko. Too close for comfort.

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Raeger walked back into the crowd, making his way around the trade depot. He was uncertain of what he was going to do once he arrived at his destination. Wanting to make the right decision, he didn't want to make a scene, and he certainly didn't want to be seen as the bad guy when all he was trying to do was protect his relationship.

Turning a corner, he could clearly see them just yards away from where he stood. His eyes suddenly glued onto Klaus, observing the small smile that didn't seem to budge as his warm amber eyes remained on Akiko. The glint Kamil had warned him about could clearly be seen flickering in his stare. Doing his best to calm his expression, he made his way towards the group of people. As he got closer, Fritz was the first to notice him. Thrusting his arm in the air to signal him, Fritz's red face grew a larger, goofy grin.

"RAE!" Fritz shouted, almost losing his balance with his arm still around Licorice, "Over 'ere, buddy!"

Akiko quickly turned in the direction Fritz was waving to see Raeger walking towards them. Her captivating smile instantly lit up her face as she set down her drink on the edge of the bench and ran over to him. Relief took the place of the discomfort she felt moments earlier as his figure grew closer. Thrusting herself into his arms, she embraced him tightly, burying her face in his chest.

The tightness in Raeger's chest subsided at the sight of her bright smile. His nervousness melted away at the sensation of her arms around him as he returned her embrace, resting his cheek against her soft hair. Taking in her scent, the aroma of warm cookies filled his nostrils, bringing a grin to his face.

"I'm sorry for being late," he said, only loud enough for her to hear, tightening his grip around her. "I got held up at the restaurant."

"You're here now," she whispered back, "that's all that matters."

She pulled away from him to get a better view of those emerald eyes she missed so much. His warm smile and soft eyes welcomed her gaze as he softly pulled her into a kiss, moving his hold on her down to her waist as he felt her arms wrap around his neck. Being so close to him, she caught the aroma of nutmeg coming from him, most likely from cooking warm winter meals for his customers earlier. This excited her, longing to get closer to him as she discretely pushed her chest into him. Surprised at her gesture, his eyes widened in shock, then chuckled at the thought as his painful insecurities fled from his mind.

Klaus had turned away, pretending to give his attention to Fritz, who was trying to tell everyone a story about the last time he had a few drinks. Completely ignoring every word that came out of his mouth, he focused on the needle-like pain he was feeling in his chest. He never imagined seeing Akiko and Raeger together holding one another would hurt him so much.

 _Damn,_ he thought, mustering a small smile as he turned back to look at Akiko, _I must be a glutton for punishment, watching the girl I love in the arms of another man._

Licorice happened to notice the smile on Klaus's face as he gazed at her friend. A puzzled look appeared on her face as she looked in the same direction he was, but before she could think on it any further, Fritz nearly pulled her to the ground as he almost lost his balance once again.

Raeger continued to move his lips against Akiko's, both in their own little world, alone. Her heart beat hard against her chest each time she felt his warm breath on her skin as their lips caressed one another.

"Don't forget where we are right now," he whispered, breaking the kiss and resting his forehead against hers, giving her a teasing smile.

"Oh!" her cheeks flushed red as she glanced back at the group, seeing Licorice laugh as she tried convince Fritz to sit down on the bench. "Sorry, I guess I got a little carried away."

"You don't need to apologize. I enjoyed it, but let's save it for later, okay?"

Nodding in agreement, she released her hold on his neck. Her hand found his and twined their fingers together as they made their way back to their friends. She noticed earlier that Klaus was looking at her again, but as she started to come back, he averted his eyes away, making her even more nervous as they approached. Trying to ignore it for the sake of the good night ahead of them, she turned her attention to Licorice and Fritz, which instantly brought a smile to her face.

Raeger also noticed Klaus's eyes were on her earlier. The tightness in chest began to resurface, but quickly halted when he felt Akiko squeeze his hand. This reassured him and settled his nerves. Not wanting to ruin the night she was expecting, he decided the best plan of action for the moment was to simply ignore it, but not forget it.

"It's 'bout time, Rae!" Fritz nearly shouted as he finally took a seat on the bench, pointing his finger at his friend. "I don' know 'bout ya, but I'm ready to 'ave a good time! What 'bout ya, Rish?"

"Yeah," Licorice agreed as she took a seat next to him, a bright smile complementing her face, "Isn't this supposed to be the night of the anticipated 'double-date'?"

"It's not like I meant to be late, guys," Raeger nervously rubbed the back of his head with his free hand, "and it's not like the festival is over. If anything, it's just beginning. We can still have a good time."

"Come on, stop giving him such a hard time!" Akiko giggled. "We're all here now, so let's get started!" She glanced over at Klaus, wondering what he was going to do next. It would be awkward if he still 'escorted' her now that Raeger was with her. "Uhm, Klaus-"

"I should get back to Iris and Mistel," Klaus interrupted her, his expression rather flat.

"Oh, yes. I'm sure they're worried about you."

"I hope you enjoy your night, Akiko."

"Thank you, Klaus."

As he disappeared into the crowd, everyone felt a little relieved for their own reasons. Fritz was starting to worry there was going to be a fifth wheel to their double date and Licorice was already concerned about the way he was looking at her friend. Hoping it was only her imagination, she decided to push her suspicions aside in order to fully enjoy the night out with her friends.

They all decided that Fritz was banned from drinking anything containing alcohol for the remainder of the night. Raeger was quickly given his own Buttered Rum to start off his night. As the group traveled from booth to booth, they finally arrived at the games. The variety of games lit up Akiko's face, ranging anywhere from throwing darts at balloons and knocking over bottles with baseballs to ring tosses and tiny bowling alleys. They had prizes for kids and adults, the kids prizes consisting of stuffed animals while adults got drink tokens for the wooden carts traveling throughout the depot. Whenever Fritz won a game, they split the tokens between the three of them.

Few hours later, there was a loud announcement over the PA system.

 _ **"The Stargazing Event will begin in 15 minutes! All booths will be closed and all lights will be turned off!"**_

Akiko's excitement nearly got the best of her as she tugged on Raeger's sleeve. As he looked down at her, his heart raced when his eyes met hers, staring at the overflowing enthusiasm pouring out of her face. His cheeks turned red as he swallowed a hard lump in his throat.

 _She's so cute,_ he thought, giving her a small smile before she began pulling on his arm.

"Let's go!" she urged, "We should find a good spot before they're all taken!"

"Alright," he agreed, "What about these two?"

Raeger gestured at Licorice and Fritz by nodding his head in their direction, who still playing the ring toss game. Licorice was laughing at every toss Fritz made, both most likely too drunk to hear the announcement.

"Oh, yeah, you're right," Akiko replied, she didn't want to just leave her friends behind. Raeger suddenly pulled her close with a mischievous smile spread across his face.

"Let's ditch 'em," he whispered teasingly. He had a great time with them, but now, he wanted to just be with his Akiko.

"What?!" Akiko exclaimed, then lowered her voice so the drunken couple wouldn't hear her, "We can't just leave them here! What if they miss it?"

"Are you ready?" Raeger linked his arm with hers, getting ready to take off.

"Raeger, you can't be serious."

"One..."

"We're really just going to-"

"Two."

"Raeger! We-"

"Three!"

In fear of her face being dragged against the stone pavement, she took off with him when he bolted off into the crowd. Turning her head back, the figures of her friends grew smaller until she couldn't make them out anymore. Returning her attention to the new path ahead of them, she held on to his arm tightly until he finally slowed down to a normal pace.

"Why did you do that?" she asked angrily, looking up at him as they continued to make their way to the middle of the trade depot.

"If we waited for them to get done, we'd be waiting forever," he responded calmly, without looking down at her in case they ran into anybody in front of them, "besides, I want my time with you now."

She was caught off guard by his words, unable to find the will to argue with him, admitting to herself that she also wanted to be alone with Raeger. Accepting that her friends would eventually make their way down, she had to agree that running away so suddenly was a little fun.

* * *

Iris, Mistel, and Klaus were standing near the edge of the barricade, watching as everyone flooded into the middle. Mistel eventually broke off from the group for a saw a group of ladies he knew, one of which he was interested in, leaving Iris and Klaus alone to wait for all the lights to turn off.

"I can't stand the cold," Iris complained as she rubbed her hands together, "honestly, I don't know why I bother coming to this every year."

"Once the lights go out, you stare out at the stars," Klaus replied with irritation in his voice, "They consume you, forcing you to forget all the wrong in your life, in your world, leaving room for the mysterious cosmic energy to enter your body through your eyes."

"Wow, Klaus! That was amazing! Mind if I use that for my novel? That would be perfect!"

"Be my guest."

Klaus then noticed Akiko and Raeger enter, arm in arm as they made their way towards the middle-back of the closed off area. They were far enough away they wouldn't notice him, but close enough he could see the expression on their faces. As they chatted, he could almost see the love they shared together, making the painful envy he felt return to his chest.

"What do I do?" Klaus whispered under his breath. Iris barely heard what he said and turned her gaze in the direction he was looking, noticing the couple.

"Oh, looks like the love birds are here," she commented, pretending she didn't hear him.

"I'm in love with her, Iris."

"So, you finally admit it?"

"I don't know what to do about this... this pain I feel when I see her in his arms."

"There's nothing you can do. Just be happy for her. Be happy that she has someone who makes her happy. You're not the kind of man to interfere with love."

"I just never fathomed the extent of this pain."

"I'm sorry, Klaus. If it helps, keep in mind the last girl that was with that chef. She practically ripped his heart to shreds. He needs this, no, he _deserves_ this love he has with Akiko."

He knew her words were honest, even though it hurt him to hear it come from his close friend. He simply nodded in agreement before deciding to find a new spot to watch the stars, one which Akiko wouldn't be in sight. Iris simply smiled as she followed him.

* * *

"Brrr!" Akiko shivered, folding her arms tightly against her body. "It's freezing! Aren't you cold, Raeger?"

"Nah, I'm fine," Raeger responded. Moving behind her, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. He could feel her body shuddering underneath his embrace. "Better?"

She nodded, resting the back of her head against him as she gazed up at the sky. The lights of the festival were still on, allowing only a few stars to shine through the dark sky. Feeling his hair tickle her cheek, she giggled as he leaned down to nuzzle his face against hers.

"I love you, Akiko," he whispered gently into her ears, his lips caressing her earlobe. "You're all mine."

"I love you, too," she whispered back, tickled by his declaration. Reaching up behind her, she placed her cold hand on the back of his warm neck as she felt him lower his face closer to her scarf. "I've been hiding the proof with the scarf you gave me."

"There's no need to hide." While still keeping his arms around her, he carefully pulled down the edge of her scarf to reveal the red marks he had left there the day prior. Carefully wedging his face between the scarf and her face, he began to caress her warm neck with his cold lips, sending sparks flying throughout her body.

"Raeger!" she gasped, hoping no one was watching. Conflicting emotions fought in her head, for one part of her wanted him to stop while the other begged him to continue. His lips traveled up her neck and played with her earlobe, then quickly pulled away, pulling the scarf back up so she wouldn't get cold.

"Later," he whispered teasingly in her ear before planting a quick kiss on her cheek.

Before she had a chance to respond to him, she was startled by sudden darkness. Several other girls shrieked playfully at the blackout, but it didn't take long for the silence to set in. The anticipation she had built up for this moment nearly exploded as she jolted her gaze to the sky only to be stunned by the beauty.

The clear black sky revealed millions of stars, some tiny, large, blue, red, or even yellow. Taking in the beauty of the sky, the crowd suddenly let out a loud gasp as a large shooting star streaked across the sky as if it were ripping through the sea of stars. It was soon followed by many others, much smaller than the first one, but just as impressive.

Relaxing in his arms, the cold no longer bothered Akiko. She had been completely engulfed by the stars, filling her with a strange sense of contentment. Sneaking a peek at Raeger, she smiled to see that he had a broad smile complementing his face as he gazed up at the sky. Noticing her eyes on him, he looked down at her, meeting her eyes. He could feel his heart skip a beat, seeing her dark eyes reflecting the stars back up at him.

As if calling to him, he pressed his lips against hers, hearing her release a tiny moan.

"I'm glad I get to share this moment with you," he said when he pulled away from her, yearning to gaze into the depths of her eyes once again.

"I've never experienced something like this before," she replied, drowning in his eyes, giving him her captivating smile, "thank you so much."

They both continued to watch the sky for some time before they both decided to leave. Other groups of people were already starting to leave for it was getting late, and the later it became, the colder it was got. The shooting stars were also starting to become less frequent, persuading people that it was time to call it a night.

Reaching the entrance to the restaurant, Akiko gave Raeger a quick kiss before acting as if she was leaving.

"Goodnight, Raeger," she said teasingly, turning on her heel, "I'll be sure to stop by tomorrow."

"Where do you think you're going?" he chuckled, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back to him. "It's a long way back home, and it's late, not to mention freezing. You should stay here tonight." Cupping her cheek with his free hand, she blushed and placed her hand atop his, pressing is against her face.

"I don't know. I don't want to be an inconvenience to you."

"Don't be ridiculous, I insist."

Locking the door behind them, he led her upstairs to his room. The loud thud of their footsteps drowned out the pounding of her heart she could feel in her chest. As he got the fire ready, she placed her coat and scarf next to the door next to her boots. She was tempted to turn on the lights, but figured they would just be turned off soon afterwards.

After the fire got going, Raeger removed his coat and shoes, noticing that Akiko was shivering. His only heat source was the fireplace, so it was understandable that they would enter a cold room. Turning towards her, she wrapped her arms around him for warmth.

"I'm sorry for the cold," he apologized, rubbing her back.

"It's f-fine," she replied, tightening her arms around him. "We should- ah!"

Her words were cut off when she felt him push her against the wall, pinning her wrists against it above her head with one hand. His lips instantly found her neck and began to gently nibble at her skin. The unexpected excitement sent a spark to her core, causing her to arch her body against him. She ached for him, and was a little pleased he went straight to the point.

With his free hand, he reached behind her as she arched her back and unzipped her dress down to her waist. Releasing her wrists, he helped her slip the sleeves off her shoulders. As her skin tightened at the sensation of the cold air, she took advantage of her free hands and quickly unbuttoned his shirt completely, allowing him to simply shrug it off his shoulders.

The dancing light from the fire glowed against his tone skin, leaving her body in his shadow. With a small tug, the dress came loose from her waist and fell to the floor. Her slender fingers tugged at his belt as they did the day before, increasing the excitement he felt in his chest. Their breathing became heavier and almost in sync as she finally slid the thin strap of leather through the loops of his pants, tossing aside next to the other discarded pieces of clothing. It wasn't much longer until his pants soon joined the growing pile.

Before continuing any further, he gazed into her eyes, mostly for reassurance. The light from the fire was dancing with the desire in her eyes as her lips yearned for his. Hearing the silent call, he pressed his lips firmly against hers, feeling her heavy breath against him. Slipping their tongues through their lips, his fingers traveled up the soft skin of her back as she passionately kissed him. They soon found the clasp of her bra and quickly snapped it free, his other hand pulling it free from her chest as it loosened, letting it fall to the floor.

He loved the feeling of her bare breasts pressing against his chest as their bodies pressed against each other. As his hands traveled up and down her body, his fingers felt the edge of her panties and then the rim of her stockings. Deciding to build the fire even more, he moved his mouth down to her neck, then slowly down to her breasts, massaging them in his hands as his tongue slid in between them. Hearing the smalls gasps between her heavy breathing encouraged him to keep going.

Continuing further down, his hands followed him, but traveled down to one of her stockings. Teasing the edge of the lace of her panties with his teeth, he pulled down one stocking and tossed it to the pile, then the other, feeling her legs quivering beneath his fingertips, but he knew very well that it wasn't from the cold.

"Raeger," Akiko squeaked, gripping the edge of the wall as she glanced down at him, "I-"

"Almost there," Raeger replied in a throaty tone as he quickly glanced up at her before returning his attention to her panties. Softly kissing her hips, he began to rub his fingertips between her inner thigh and felt the damp fabric. She could feel his lips curl against her skin as she leaned her head back against the wall, her fingers trembling. Taking the edge of the lace between his teeth, he pulled them down to her mid-thigh, then his hand pulled down to her ankles. Standing up to meet her eyes again, he greeted her with a desiring smile. Leaning in to resume their passionate kiss, he was interrupted by her quiet, raspy voice.

"What about you?" she asked, looking down at his boxers. Placing both his hands against the wall on either side of her, he stared directly into her eyes.

"You're right," he responded, "you're not done, are you?"

Smiling at his small attempt at a joke, she swallowed hard lump in her throat as she bent down. Trying to be as playful as he was, she caressed her lips along his stomach as she slowly pulled down his boxers. Still unsure of what to do next, she had some ideas of how to tease him. Firmly grasping his penis, she teased it with her tongue before carefully inserting the tip in her mouth. Grasping onto his leg with her other hand, she could feel his muscles tense up as she heard a loud moan escape him.

Then, she felt his hand grab her arm and slowly pull her back up, pinning her wrists against the wall again before passionately kissing her. One of his hands began to massage one of her breast while the other began to rub her in between her legs. Moaning against his lips, she pressed her body against his.

"Wrap your arms around me," he demanded hoarsely. Doing as he said, she tightly wrapped her arms around his neck, then gasped loudly when she felt him lift her up once again, higher this time. Her instant reaction was to wrap her legs around his waist in fear of falling. Confused at first, he simply stared at her, then his eyes lit up.

"Mind if I try something?" he asked, gifting her with a sweet smile. Struggling to find words, she simply nodded in response, then quickly gasped. He began to lower her down, but in the process, he slid inside her. Gently pressing her against the wall again to relieve some of the weight off of him, he firmly gripped her waist before returning to her lips. Every thrust of his hips forced out a loud moan from her lips as she tightly clung onto him.

"Raeger," she gasped, but before she could finished, he tightly locked his lips against hers once more. Each thrust slammed her against the cold wall, but the small pain was a worthy price to pay for the pleasure she received in return.

* * *

A few hours later...

Akiko awoke to a piercing chill running through her body, her eyelids shooting open. Her tight cold skin made it difficult to sit up as she observed the unfamiliar surroundings in the dark room. Glancing down at her legs, she saw the blanket shoved down near the bottom of the bed.

 _I kicked off my blanket?_ she thought, still weary from just waking up. Kicking off her blanket was starting to become a bad habit of hers. She also noticed that she was naked, which puzzled her, but for the moment, it was the least of her concerns. Reaching for the edge of the blanket, her arm shivered violently from the cold.

Suddenly, she heard a loud snap from the fire, which was now slowly dying off. Startling her, she jumped, then felt movement next to her. It was Raeger, sleeping soundly next to her on his stomach. A rush of memories consisting of the starlight gala and the sex flooded into her mind. Now realizing where she was, she felt comforted.

Still too cold to think clearly about the memories, she continued to slowly reach down for her half of the blanket. Finally grasping the edge of it, she pulled it up over her as she curled into a ball in an attempt to generate heat again. Her body began to shake violently, waking the sleeping man lying next to her.

He slowly opened his eyes only to be greeted by a young woman with tightly closed eyes with a thick blanket wrapped around her. His warm hand reached out and stroked her cheek, which he discovered was ice cold.

"Akiko," he called out in a hoarse voice, "you're freezing." She opened her eyes up at him, but couldn't speak with her chattering teeth. Readjusting himself to his side, he moved the blanket and pulled the frozen girl into his hot arms, instantly melting away her tight skin. She wasn't so surprised to discover that he, too, was naked, now that she had a moment to think about their 'activities' a few hours ago. Her shivering soon ceased as she nuzzled her face into his chest, tangling her legs with his underneath the blanket.

"Sorry," she whispered, "I kicked off the blanket in my sleep." His warm lips sleepily planted a kiss on the top of her head, holding her close. This brought a heartfelt smile to her face as she slowly began to drift back into slumber.

"Well, I hope you don't kick me off," he whispered jokingly before closing his eyes, his hold on her ensuring her place in his arms. Falling back to sleep before she had a chance to respond, she was also too tired to respond.

 _I would never dream of it, my love,_ her last thought before her world went dark.


	19. The Maid Mission

**Chapter Nineteen: The Maid Mission**

The warming aura of Spring arrived right on schedule, pushing the citizens of Oak Tree Town back into their busy lives. The trade depot quickly welcomed back the trading countries, bringing with them more tourists, eager to trade. With the town bustling with people, the town once again seemed more lively, a nice change from the dull winter energy.

Springtime also meant busy days for the local businesses. Mistel's antique shop seemed to be very popular among the tourists, who were interested in the yellow pearls he frequently sold; a rarity in some countries. The inn and the restaurant were the busiest in the morning and evening hours, making life more hectic for the owners as they tended to their customers. Klaus had to fill an order for a new line of perfume for the major city retail stores, keeping him confined to his home. Kamil spent most of his time out of town to arrange flowers for many weddings; a booming business for this time of year. Licorice practically lived at the fruit orchards located up in the mountain, continuing her research from the year prior.

The farmers were no exception to this busy season. The workers on Margaret Farm were pushed to their limit, preparing for the overbearing orders received from the major cities, demanding produce and animal byproducts. Elise, of course, took in all the orders she received, taking in no consideration to her limited amount of employees. Fritz started off small with his orders at first, taking the time in the beginning of the season to prepare more land for planting, then soon requested more orders after he had the space.

Of course, being popular among the traders, Akiko was busier than ever. Once again, she took on a few more orders than she could handle, pushing herself near the limit. She began making her trips down the trade depot a little earlier in order to have more time to tend to her animals and crops. To assist in the amount of time she could work during the day, Raeger began to spend his nights up at her house. This way, she didn't need to worry about cutting any time away from her work. It also helped that he bring over dinner, making it one less thing to worry about.

However, his restaurant grew busier and busier by the day, restricting how much time he could go up to the farm. His days off were the only promised days that he could see her, other days were only by chance. During their time apart, they spent most of their evenings on the phone to make the days between their physical visits less strenuous.

Although majority of the citizens' lives had become more occupied with work, it seemed somewhat harmonious. Everything ran smoother than a new clock, with every cog and screw perfectly in place.

* * *

One morning, a few weeks into Spring...

The gentle, cool kiss of the morning sun slowly touched the rooftops of the tallest buildings as it began to rise. Tourists at the inn were making their way down the restaurant to start their day off with a hearty breakfast before spending their day at the trade depot. Farmers were already there, selling their goods and filling orders before the crowds arrived, also giving them enough time to head back to their farms and get more hours in on their crops and animals.

Licorice quickly paced down the beaten wooden steps, anxious to get started at the orchard. Her research was making great progress, engulfing her with excitement. Placing her bag of supplies on the edge of the table, she made her way to the front desk to have a small chat with Lillie, who was finally relieved from the swarm of guests.

"My my, don't we look chipper this morning!" Lillie greeted, her small smile brightening up the room as Licorice practically skipped over to her.

"Morning, Lil!" Licorice greeted.

"What has you so happy?"

"Oh, just my research. It's going much better than I thought! I'm just so excited to get started today!"

"That's great! By the way, Fritz called yesterday asking for you."

"Oh, he did?"

"Yes, it was after you left for the day. He says he hasn't seen you for a while. He sounded concerned, is everything okay?"

"Well..." Licorice bit her lip at the question. A few weeks ago, she intended the end things between her and Fritz after the Starlight Gala, but he got so drunk, it was difficult to even ask him to sit down anywhere, leaving the topic unresolved. She figured she could try and stick it out for a while, but her feelings remained unchanged. The emotions she felt for Fritz were unable to grow with the weight Klaus had on her mind. His face frequently ran through her mind, making it difficult to focus on her current relationship. Since she picked back up on her research, she slowly reduced her time with Fritz, subconsciously hoping that he would make the call to end their relationship on his own, but that proved to be ineffective.

"Everything's fine," Licorice blurted out rather blandly, wishing for a change in subject. Lillie didn't notice the odd tone and simply smiled.

"Oh, well, that's good to know! Just be sure to call him back, okay? Anyways, I need to get going."

"Wow! Me, too!" Licorice noticed the time, shocked that such a small chat took so long. Skipping back to the table, she quickly grabbed her bag, which felt lighter than normal. She figured it was the sudden rush of adrenaline and imagined it.

As she rushed up the mountain trail, her excitement soon diminished as the thought of Fritz bubbled to her thoughts. She knew she wasn't handling the situation with him well, that there were definitely better and easier methods, but she didn't have the courage to break his heart.

 _Why must I put myself through this suffering?_ she thought. _Why do I torture him like this? It could be over so quickly, like ripping off a band aid._

Finally arriving at the orchard, a large grin appeared on her face as she took in the beauty of the blooming flowers, pushing out all the negative thoughts and replacing them with euphoria. Taking several samples of bark, she settled down under her favorite tree, breathing in the crisp mountain air. With her bag resting next to her, she reached inside, pulling out a pen and her notebook full of her research notes.

After a few moments studying all her samples, her eyes lit up.

"Yes," she muttered to herself, "now, where did I see this pattern... Oh, it was in that book." The book she received from Klaus contributed valuable information to her fieldwork, opening paths for her to try new experiments and assisting her in understanding things from a different point of view. Along with her notebook, she wrote more than a few notes in the pages of the book.

Shuffling through the contents of her bag, she required certain notes from one of the chapters to apply to this new development, only to find that it was missing. Her expression instantly went grim as she began to pull everything out, tossing items left and right as she desperately searched for her treasured book.

"Where is it?!" she shouted. "It was in here this morning!" Her mind suddenly flashed to the moment she grabbed the bag from the table, noticing it felt lighter and realizing imagination played no part. Concluding that it must have fallen out somewhere, she hastily gathered up her supplies. Her heart raced out of control, concerned if someone had taken the book by now. The letters she wrote, she same ones she had shown to her best friend, were still locked away in the cover.

* * *

Frantically searching the entire lobby of the inn for the book, Licorice's anxiety shot through the roof. Her search led her to the front desk, but there was no sign of it there. Racing up the stairs to her room, she tried thinking of the possibilities. What if the book was just lying on top of her bed? What if someone found it? What if they gave the letters to Klaus seeing as they were addressed to him?

Opening drawers and pulling books recklessly off her shelves, she frantically searched as she torn her room apart. The book was nowhere to be found.

Slowly returning to the lobby with a defeated expression, her negative thoughts only got worse. She took a seat at the table she sat her bag on earlier and rested her face in her hands, sighing deeply as she attempted to gather her thoughts and relax herself.

After a few moments, Maurice walked through the lobby carrying freshly cleaned sheets. His youngest daughter, Melanie, trailed behind him, carrying clean pillowcases. He headed up the stairs, not taking notice to Licorice. Malanie, on the other hand, noticed right away and ran up to her side.

"Hi, Licorice!" she greeted loudly, oblivious to her frustration. Taking in a deep breath, Licorice sat up straight, facing the young girl. Then, a glint of hope twinkled in her eyes.

"Hey, Mel," she replied. "Listen, have you seen a book somewhere in the lobby?" Melanie placed a pondering finger on her chin as she gazed up at the ceiling before her face lit up.

"Was it a green book?"

"Yes! You've seen it?"

"Yeah! It was on that table this morning. It had pretty pictures of trees and flowers with really big words in it."

"Great! Where is it now, Mel?"

"I gave it to Lillie."

"What? Why?"

"Because she's going to Ellie's house tonight for a party. She's going to give it back to Klaus." The words struck a piercing pain in Licorice's chest, but she tried to remain calm for Melanie's sake.

"Why is she going to give it to Klaus?"

"It's his book. He has lots of books with big words. Lillie said she'll give it to Klaus tonight."

"Oh my God!" Licorice squeaked as her heart sank into her stomach.

* * *

"Are you completely out of your mind?!" Akiko exclaimed as she wiped sweat from her brow. Licorice had explained everything to her as she worked in her field, and also revealing her 'plan' to retrieve the book.

"It's the only way!" Licorice exclaimed as she leaned over the wooden fence barricading the field.

"Why can't we just ask Lillie for the book? I'm sure if we tell her the book is yours, she'll realize that it was a misunderstanding and return it to you."

"What if she's already looked inside?! She's a gossip queen! She's not going to give it back without showing Elise first!"

"I doubt she's even looked at it. Botany isn't exactly interesting to her. Besides, she's our friend, too, she wouldn't hide it from us like that."

"Okay, well, even if she didn't, we have no idea when she'll arrive at Elise's house. She always gets off at funky hours. She could be there now!"

"So your solution is to sneak into Elise's house during the party and steal the book back?"

"Yes!"

Akiko sighed as she stood up, patting the dirt off of her work dress. Working in the heat for most of the day, listening to Licorice's ridiculous story and solution didn't assist her pre-existing irritation.

"Besides all of that," she started as she picked up her bags of fertilizer, "I can't believe you still haven't talked to Fritz, and now you're avoiding him?"

"I know," Licorice sighed, staring down at the bright green seedlings in the dark soil, "it's not the right thing to do, but, I'm hoping it will make things easier when I do tell him."

"Whatever." Akiko stormed off back to her work shed to put away her tools. Licorice followed her, begging for her help, promising to deal with Fritz after they retrieve the book.

"Please, Akiko!" she begged. "I can't do this by myself!"

"Alright, fine," she sighed heavily, "You're lucky I'm not seeing Raeger tonight. He's got a customer order to fill."

Licorice threw her arms around Akiko tightly, smiling brightly.

* * *

After Akiko changed into some fresh clothes, the girls made their way to Margaret Farm. By this time, the sky had already started to turn dark, revealing bright twinkling stars. Both girls knew nothing of this party, which meant it was exclusive to only those who were invited. Knowing Elise, it was nothing more than a drinking gossip session. Even so, she greatly displeased uninvited guests, especially ones she didn't consider friends.

The girls carefully entered the property by dashing between large bushes and trees until they reached a window. Looking inside, they gathered that the party had just started as the guests arrived. Iris, Lillie, and even Agate were seen in the foyer accompanying Elise, who was seen leading them all up the stairs. They all laughed and giggled as Elise made some sort of joke. As the ladies made their way up the grand staircase, Licorice caught a glimpse of a dark object in Lillie's hand. It was her book!

"There it is!" Licorice whispered loudly.

"Yeah, I see it," Akiko replied quietly, both sinking down beneath the window to remain hidden, "but I don't see Klaus. Are you sure Melanie said Lillie was going to give it to Klaus tonight?"

"Positive. Perhaps she's going to pass it off to Iris."

"Right, that makes sense. So, how are we going to get inside unnoticed?"

"There's gotta be a back entrance."

Carefully making their way towards the back of the building, they frantically searched for a doorway. Finally finding one, it lead to what looked like the kitchen, but workers were coming in and out, throwing away trash or heading towards the fields for overtime night work. Their opportunities to sneak inside were slim, at best.

"There's no way we can get in!" Akiko exclaimed quietly as they observed behind one of the many shrubs.

"We've just got to wait for the perfect window," Licorice confidently whispered back.

"You're crazy! There's too many people!"

"Are you going to help me or not?"

"Yeah, but this is asinine!"

Suddenly, there was loud snap of a branch behind them. Startled, the girls quickly turned around, trying to hold down their screams. It was Nadi, and he looked irritated as he greeted the girls with a scowl and folded arms.

"What are you two doing here?" he asked sternly as he towered over their crouched bodies. Dumbfounded, the girls were left speechless. What could they say that would make sense to him?

"Well," Licorice's voice squeaked as she struggled to find viable excuse, "we were- you see-"

"We need to get something," Akiko interrupted. "Lillie brought it, and there's no way Elise would let us in without sticking her nose in it."

"Right!" Licorice's face lit up. It wasn't lying, but they didn't need to reveal everything either. "So, we were just trying to-"

"You're trespassing," Nadi cut her off, his expression unchanging as his eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"Nadi, please," Licorice pulled out her puppy dog eyes, "this thing, it's important that I get it back. If any of them see what's inside..."

"It's that important to you?"

"Yes, it is."

Nadi rolled his eyes, feeling trapped in a corner between his friends and his job. After a moment of contemplating, he looked around, then leaned in closer so that they could hear him more clearly.

"I'll help you," he whispered, "but you have to tell me everything. There's no way you can do this without my help."

The girls' eyes grew large with gratitude as they nodded. Licorice wanted nothing more than to throw her arms around him, but suppressed the urge for the sake of seriousness.

"Wait for my signal," he demanded as he calmly stood up and headed towards the door. They heard him shout something, gathering all the workers, then pointed out towards the field, sending them all running in that direction. Once they were far enough, he motioned for the two to quickly make their way inside.

Once inside, the girls kept low as they carefully followed Nadi through the kitchen and into the hallway. Quietly trailing behind him, they began to wonder where he was taking them. They soon found themselves in a room full of random furniture, most likely spares or seasonal. Carefully shutting the door behind him, Nadi spared no time in demanding information.

They explained everything about the book, including the letters and a small history of Licorice's feelings for Klaus. Akiko felt nervous giving away all this information to Nadi, unsure of how well they could trust him, but at this point, she felt as though there were no more options. They needed his help if this little mission was to succeed.

"I see," Nadi confirmed as he folded his arms in thought. "Would you have any clue as to where the book is right now?"

"Probably with Lillie," Akiko answered, keeping her voice low. "How are we going to get it?"

"You could get it!" Licorice pointed at Nadi.

"Don't be a fool," he replied, slightly annoyed. "Don't you think it might look strange if I ask for it? Not to mention how I came to know of the book itself."

"Oh, right."

A moment of silence fell between the three as they tried to conjure up a plan, then Nadi grew a sinister smile on his face.

"Wait here," he said as he snuck out of the room.

The girls patiently waited, quietly sitting on the random plastic-covered furniture. As his absence prolonged, they began to worry if he would show up with Elise following him, who would only turn them in to the police for invading her home.

Then, the door opened again, with Nadi's back entering first. Hopping to their feet, the girls came up to him, and as he turned around, he dropped articles of clothing to the floor. Licorice knelt down and picked up one of the dresses. Her expression grew flat.

"Is this... a maid's uniform?" she asked.

"Yes," Nadi replied as he closed the door behind him, "quickly, put them on. I even brought some black stockings for you to-"

"You want us to masquerade as Elise's maids?!" Akiko nearly shouted. Just the thought of serving her was sickening. Nadi brought a finger to his lips, motioning for quiet as he nodded.

"It's the perfect disguise," Nadi smiled. "She constantly get new maids, so she won't suspect a thing."

"She can still recognize us," Licorice pointed out. Nadi shook his head as he pick up a wig which was hiding under the second maid uniform.

"You've got to be kidding," Akiko sighed.

* * *

Nadi knocked on the door. He waited outside as the girls changed, keeping watch in case any wandering worker happened to pass by. With permission to enter, he opened the door.

Standing before him were two maids, one with long, red hair and green eyes. Using an eyeliner pencil brought by Nadi, she had dotted large freckles all over her face. Nadi blushed a little as he looked down at her black stockings.

Looking over at the second maid, she had blond hair tied up into swaying pigtails. Her face turned bright red as her amethyst eyes glanced down at her extremely short skirt, trying to pull it down.

"Are you sure these are professional uniforms and not lingerie?" Akiko asked in a flustered tone, her face bright red as Nadi nervously turned away.

"Unfortunately, they were the only ones I could find on short notice," he responded, then cleared this throat, "it is getting warmer outside, so I'm assuming the uniforms change with the season."

"Okay, but what about Akiko's eyes?" Licorice asked as she flicked her long, false hair. "They are very distinctive."

"Right," Nadi agreed as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of thick, blue-framed glasses. Carefully putting them on her face, Akiko blinked. They didn't distort her vision in any way. "It's just clear glass. They'll distract from your eyes a little bit. You two look like completely different people."

As the three left the room ready to pull off their clever disguises, the girls fiddled with their fake hair.

"Why does Elise even have these kinds of wigs?" Licorice asked as they made their way down the hallway, annoyed with her wig.

"You've never been to any of her Halloween parties, I take it," Nadi responded jokingly as they turned the corner, leading them to the foyer. "Now, let's go get the book."

Heading up the marble staircase, the girls tried to adjust to their short skirts and black high heels, doing their best to appear poised and professional.

"I feel like a damn fool," Licorice muttered as she forced a smile on her face.

"Just _now_ you're feeling like a fool?" Akiko muttered back, hinting that they were only in this situation because of her.

Before they knew it, they approached a room with elegant double doors. Behind them, they could hear loud laughter of the ladies and the clinking of glasses.

"I can't go in there with you two," Nadi whispered. "I'll be close by, but you're on your own from here." The two nodded and opened the doors.

As they entered, Licorice's eyes immediately began scanning the room for the book. None of the buzzed ladies even noticed the maids approaching them until they were practically just a few feet away.

"It's about time!" Elise snapped, her cheeks red from the liquor. "We need another bottle."

"Uhm, right!" Akiko responded, her voice cracking from being nervous. She swallowed a lump in her throat, realizing she need to change her voice to complete the illusion. "And vat is ze Mistress drinking tonight?" Her 'European' accent was terrible.

"Are you kidding me?" Elise was annoyed, as usual. "We're simply having wine! Another bottle!"

"Right avay!" Akiko turned on her heel, pushing down the scowl she so wished to express. With no clue where to get this bottle, she was hoping Nadi was still close by.

"Wait!"

Akiko stopped in her tracks and turned back to Elise. She stood up and gave her maid a confusing look.

"Are you... new?" Elise asked, eyeing her maid suspiciously. The other ladies turned their attention to the blond maid, realizing that they've never seen her before either.

"Yes, ma'am!" Licorice burst in energetically, capturing everyone's attention. She did her best to try a more twangy accent. "In fact, we just started!"

"Oh, I see," Elise's mood instantly lightened up. "I'm sorry for the confusion. The wine is down in the kitchen. I trust you know where that is, uh... Uhm, you're name?"

"My name?" Akiko nearly stuttered, but quickly answered with the first name that came to mind. "It's Bridgette, m'lady." Satisfied with her answered, Elise then turned to Licorice, who was struggling to find a name.

"The name's, uh, Madison, ma'am!"

"So, Bridgette and Madison? Welcome to Margaret Farm!" Elise grew large smile to her face. "Anyways, Madison, get us some more wine. Bridgette, fetch my cupcakes. They should be here by now." With that said, she handed Akiko some money.

"Yes, vight avway!" Akiko perked up with smile as she quickly excused herself from the room with a quick bow, pondering why she was given the money. Following her example, Licorice bowed and followed close behind her.

As they shut the double doors behind them, they failed to suppressed their laughter, amused by their name choices. Finally settling down, they pressed their ears against the door, hoping to hear something about the book.

"Anyways, Elise," Iris began, a slight hint of slur to her voice, "as we were saying, about Kamil."

"Oh, yes!" Lillie giggled. "Things are going well, I take it?"

"Ladies, I practically have that man wrapped around my finger," Elise gloated, then sighed heavenly, "I finally have the man of my dreams!"

"I had no idea Kamil would ever fall for you," Agate said calmly, dampening the mood, "He was just so hooked on Akiko!"

"He was," Lillie replied, "but Akiko had to shoot him down. She's been dating Raeger for a while now. She seems really happy."

"Lucky girl," Iris interjected, "he's such a hunk."

"Right?" Agate giggled. "It's a good thing, too. Poor man, he needs a girl like her to put his heart back together after Fi-"

"Excuse me! We were talking about me!" Elise reminded them, clearing her throat. The ladies ignored her childish nature and changed the subject.

"Elise, where did you put that book?" Lillie asked. Licorice's ears perked up at the keyword.

"I had it put in my room," Elise responded, still rather annoyed, "I'll give it to Iris when we're done. We don't need it in the way."

Akiko and Licorice stood up and were greeted by Nadi who quietly led them to a nearby room, demanding information. They explained everything, including the newly discovered location of the book.

"Good," Nadi smiled. "Licorice, you and I will go get the book and the wine. Akiko, the cupcakes should be downstairs by the front door. Once we get the book and deliver the ladies their treats, I'll get you two out of here. By tomorrow, Elise will forget you two were ever here."

"Sounds good!" Akiko whispered confidently. They went their separate ways, putting the plan into play.

* * *

Quickly making her way down the marble stairs to the foyer, Akiko was starting to get excited knowing that this disaster was soon to be over. Then, her heart stopped as she turned the corner at the landing of the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, waiting by the front entrance, was Raeger with what appeared to be the boxes of cupcakes resting on a small table next to him. He was leaning against the door with his arms folded, his eyes droopy with exhaustion.

 _This was his order?!_ she screamed in her head. _Of all places, he had to show up here? NOW?_

Frozen from shock, she just stood there at the top of the stairs, struggling to decide what to do next. Then, she saw him look up, taking notice to her presence, snapping her back to earth. Clearing her throat and adjusting her glasses, she practiced her accent in her mind as she steadily made her way down the remainder of the stairs, her pigtails swaying back and forth. She didn't let the fear of him seeing straight through her facade overwhelm her.

She was mostly worried about making eye contact with him, knowing he would recognize her right away once he saw them. Keeping her head lowered, she approached him and greeted him with a slow bow.

"Velcome," she greeted, keeping her voice low, overdoing her accent, "Ve appreciate ze late delivery."

"It's no problem," Raeger responded, fighting back a fatigued tone. He turned to his side and picked up the box of cupcakes. "Here they are."

"Oh!" Quickly reaching into the deep pocket of her apron, Akiko pulled out the money given to her by Elise, trading them for the boxes. As he took the cash from her hand and slipped the boxes into her arms, she carefully took a glimpse at his face. A hint of sadness could be seen in his expression, even though he tried to hide it well.

"Zank you, very much," she lowered her gaze once again, "I apologize for ze inconvenience. I'm sure zhere are ozer zings you vould rather be doing at zhis hour."

"Heh, is it that obvious?" he responded, rubbing the back of his neck as he flashed her a forced smile. "Late night deliveries aren't exactly ideal."

"M'lady does have high demands. She'd be zocked to know ze vorld revolves avound ze sun, not her."

Akiko's little jab at Elise sent Raeger laughing, which contagiously made her giggle as well. She missed him terribly, wanting nothing more than to tell him who she really was and throw herself at him, but knew it would only cause problems all around if she did. Despite her longing to keep the conversation going, the sooner she could leave Margaret Farm, the better.

"I don't think you should be making remarks like that about your employer," Raeger stated, wiping a small tear from his eye, holding back the laughter, "no matter how true it is."

"Forgive me," Akiko replied in her normal sweet tone, unknowingly casting her bright smile at him, "it couldn't be helped."

Catching her smile and tone, his face suddenly turned blank as he blinked in confusion. Her smile quickly disappeared once she realized what she had done. She slipped.

"Have we.. met before?" Raeger asked, raising a questioning brow. "You remind me of someone I know..."

"Vat?! Don't be ridiculous," Akiko shook her head violently, letting out a nervous laugh, "I just started zere today."

"Is that so? I could've have sworn.." He averted his gaze into the wall, his expression turning flat as he trailed off in thought before letting out a small chuckle. "Maybe I just can't stop thinking about her.."

"Oh? Some vun special?"

"Heh, very. I haven't been able to see her very much lately. We've both been busy with work. It's been driving me mad."

"Vell, you zould go zee her on your day off tomorrow."

"That's what I plan to- wait, how did you know I have tomorrow off?"

"Vat?! No, no! I zaid you SHOULD take a day off. Teehee, you must have mizheard me, you're so tired."

"Oh... yeah, maybe I should get going. Take care."

With a small wave, he turned around and headed out the door. Her heart was pounding from the few slip ups she just made. Once the door clicked shut behind him, she let out a large sigh, feeling as though she held her breath the entire time he was there, nearly collapsing to the floor.

 _Licorice, you owe me, big time!_ she thought as she wasted no time going back up the stairs to deliver the cupcakes to Elise in fear that she go on a drunken rampage without them.

* * *

Licorice and Nadi found their way to the wine down in the kitchen. Not having any knowledge of wine, Licorice just picked one out and they both started to head towards Elise's room back upstairs. The mission was nearly complete.

As they carefully traveled through the many corridors of the mansion, Nadi asked Licorice many questions about the book in order to clear up the confusion he felt, mostly about Klaus.

"So, you're trying to get the book back so Klaus won't read any of those letters?" Nadi asked as he peered around the corner to ensure the next hallway was clear of any maids or butlers.

"Yes," Licorice clarified, staying close behind him, clutching the bottle of wine in her hands. "I already know he doesn't feel that way about me, so there's no reason to give them to him."

"That doesn't make sense. Why would he give you a book, a book that he clearly knew you'd be interested in, if he doesn't feel anything towards you?"

"I... don't know."

"It should be easy to move on, right?"

"That's what I thought, too, but-"

"We're here."

At the end of the hallway was a large, elegant pink door, decorated with gold trimming and elaborately carved flowers near the corners. Licorice's hands started shaking from the excitement as she felt so close to the targeted object, which lay just beyond the privacy of the door. Swallowing a lump in her throat, she steadied her hands, giving the bottle to Nadi as she grasped the gold-plated door knob, turning it slowly in order to avoid as much noise as possible. The hinges creaked as it was slowly swung open.

The small amount of light from the hallway shone a small pathway the edge of a silky, pink comforter with an oak nightstand positioned directly next to it. Atop the nightstand was a small stained glass lamp, and lying next the base of it appeared to be a book. From afar, Licorice couldn't determine if it was her book or not, but the chance of it being so excited her more as she quietly ran to it. Nadi slowly entered after her, leaving the door slightly ajar.

"Well, it that it?" he whispered as he approached her, peering over her shoulder to get a better look. She carefully opened the book, revealing several loose pages.

"Yes," she sighed with relief, closing the cover of the book and clutching it close to her chest to reassure herself of its safety, "and it looks like no one opened it."

"Great! Let's get the wine to the party and get you two out of here."

"Right!"

Just as they turned around to leave the room, they were caught off guard by the sound of footsteps and the chatter of what seemed to be two or three of the ladies from the party just outside the door. There was no time to escape the room without being seen. Reacting quickly to the new obstacle, Nadi swiftly grabbed Licorice's arm and pulled her to the other side of the bed, nearly diving to the floor to hide. The sudden jolt caused her to drop the book onto the floor, followed by a soft thud.

"Hey, my-" she nearly shrieked, but was cut off by his hand over her mouth, muffling out the remainder of her words. Pressing his back as close to the bed as possible to remain invisible, he wrapped his arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him. Her heartbeat sped up from his sudden closeness as his breath caressed her ear. She could feel the rapid beat of his heart against her back, sending her own aflutter. Regardless of visual confirmation, she knew her face was blushing tomato red by the sudden rush of heat to her cheeks.

Suddenly, a bright flash of light. The ladies had entered the room, turning on the light, revealing the bright colors of the decor. From the voices, they knew one of them was definitely Lillie.

"I just think I should return the book myself," Lillie said, furthering herself into the room, "it would just be on the way home."

"Yes, but it's on my way home, as well," it was Agate, "I live in the same plaza, and Iris is right next door to him."

"I guess so. I wonder what it was doing at the inn... he's not exactly a visitor."

"Good question! Maybe somebody stole it?"

"That's a possibi- hey! What is it doing on the floor?"

Licorice's heart sank to her stomach as the thought of all her hard work in order to retrieve the book would be for nothing. She resisted all temptation to shoot up from the floor, grab the book, and take off. If Elise knew that she snuck into her manor, she could get arrested for trespassing. She also needed to keep that in mind for Akiko as well.

"I can't believe Elise just tossed it on the floor like that!" Lillie scoffed, "Just because it's not hers doesn't mean she should be so disrespectful!"

"She's got more respect than that," Agate added with a slight chuckle, "it probably fell off her bed or something."

"How?"

"Putting it too close to the edge maybe?"

"I suppose. Hey, weren't those cupcakes _delish_?"

"Oh, yeah! Raeger always whines that he's not a great baker, but he's always made the best cakes and cupcakes I've ever had!"

"No kidding! Do you think what Elise was saying is true?"

"Huh? About Fiona coming back to town?"

Licorice's eyes shot open.

"Fiona?!" she said rather loudly under Nadi's hand, who cringed at the fact that she made noise, tightening his grip all around her.

 _UGH, I'm an idiot!_ she thought. There was a long silence in the room, sending panic in the two.

"Did...did you hear that?" Agate whispered, fear in her voice.

"Yeah," Lillie whispered back, "was it... a _ghost_?"

"I don't know, but let's get back to the other girls. We shouldn't stay to find out."

"What about the book?"

"Just leave it here. We'll come get it before we leave."

After a few seconds, the room went dark, followed by a loud click of the door. Nadi felt Licorice struggling under his grip, but kept his hold a few seconds longer for safe measure, in case they decided to come back. The sound of their footsteps soon faded away, giving him the cue to release Licorice. He could hear her crawling to the other side of the bed in search of the book.

"You fool!" he scolded, "You nearly blew our cover!"

"I'm sorry," she apologized, finding the book placed back on the nightstand, "it was a mistake."

"Don't be so careless. My job is at stake, too, I hope you know. At least we didn't get caught, so I guess it's fine."

"Yeah... fine."

"Who's Fiona?"

Nadi had walked to the other side of the room and turned on the light, only to find Licorice staring down at the floor with a solemn expression as she fixed her red wig.

"She's... Just a terrible person, all around. Don't say anything to Akiko, in case it's not true."

"What? Why not?"

"Fiona, she's... Raeger's ex-girlfriend. The one who shred his heart into pieces."

"Ah, I see. So, she's the infamous heart-slayer? I heard she slept around quite a bit."

"Yeah, it's a long story, but we should get going before Elise freaks out."

* * *

Back at the party, 'Bridgette' was handing out more cupcakes to the ladies once Lillie and Agate returned from their alleged 'potty-break.' Luckily, she missed any part of the conversation that including this mysterious Fiona person. The blonde pigtails swung with each step she took, and she found the blue-framed glasses to be quite the nuisance, having to readjust them more often than expected.

Moments later, 'Madison' gracefully entered the room with a large bottle of wine. Elise's attention was immediately drawn to her.

" _Honestly_!" Elise shouted. "How long does it take to retrieve _one_ bottle of wine? My buzz is nearly gone!"

"Forgive me," 'Madison' bowed, keeping her clenched hands at her sides, "it took me more than a few moments to find the kitchen and my way back."

"Oh, that's right, you're new. Very well, you're forgiven."

'Madison' quickly approached 'Bridgette' and helped her hand out more cupcakes, flashing her a quick, satisfying smirk, signaling that the mission was complete. Returning her smirk, 'Bridgette' already had a plan to excuse both of them in order to execute their escape.

"M'lady," 'Bridgette spoke, keeping her smile small, "It completely vlipped my mind, but I believe I vaw a few large vases of flowerz for you down in the kitchen, from a man named, eh, Kameron, no, that's not right-"

"WHAT?" Elise nearly flew off her chair, "Flowers? For me? From _KAMIL_?! How long have they been down there? Nevermind, both of you! Bring them to me, now!"

"Yes, ma'am," both maids synced their response and their bows before excusing themselves from the room. Down the hallway, Nadi was waiting for both of them and escorted them to the room with their clothes. Both girls happily threw off their wigs and welcomed their familiar clothes back onto their body.

Taking them out around the gardens to avoid being seen, Nadi said his goodbyes and wish both of them the best of luck getting home. Once they were finally off the property, Akiko scolded Licorice for everything that happened tonight, then went on her way home to get what sleep she could for the next day of work.

Licorice didn't realize how exhausted she was until she entered the doors of the inn. She slumped up the stairs, entered her room, and collapsed on her bed, welcoming the softness of her matress. Although she was fatigued from the last few hours, she found it hard to sleep.

"I hope.. I hope she really isn't coming back," she whispered to herself as she stared at the ceiling. The negative thoughts started to quickly overflow in her mind. _Should I warn Raeger? What about Akiko? She doesn't even know who Fiona is yet.._

 _What about Nadi?_

Her eyes widened, blinking in confusion as she felt her heart beat speed up slightly.

 _Nadi... why am I thinking about Nadi?_

The sensation of his arm tightly wrapped around her waist from before briefly rose to the top of her mind, placing her hand where his once was. His breath against her ear sent her heart racing and turned her cheeks red.

"It.. it was the adrenaline... yeah, that's it," she failed to convince herself as her eyes slowly closed, pulling her into slumber.


	20. From Simmering to Boiling

**Chapter Twenty: From Simmering to Boiling**

Since she got home late the previous night, Akiko awoke early to get as much done as possible in order to leave on time. She was going down to Raeger's for his day off and was planning to surprise him with his favorite: her special dark chocolate strawberry cake. Not having enough time to make it the night before, she decided to prepare the treat in his kitchen.

For the last couple of days, she had been pressed to finish a few large orders for vendors, making her exhausted. The lack of sleep from last night surely didn't help, if anything, it made it worse, but somehow, the thought of seeing Raeger in person for the first time in over a week gave her enough energy to last her the day.

The couple attempted to manage their time apart with long phone calls during their busy season, however, both had been so overwhelmed with work for the last few nights, neither had the energy nor time. If one did find the time to make a short call, the other usually didn't answer for they were still working or had fallen asleep by that point.

Loneliness soon settled in with them, hanging over their heads as fields were fertilized and meals were prepared. Partnered with the pre-existing fatigue, the couple started waking up each day more stressed than the last.

On this day, Akiko and Raeger both had most of the day to themselves, and both were determined to spend every moment they could with one another in hopes to relinquish the tiny little monster constantly biting at their heels.

By early afternoon, she was headed down the mountain path towards town. A cool breeze blew by, lifting up her long, dark hair away from her cheeks and ruffling the edges of her skirt. Along the way, her eyes beamed at the lush, green trees as they shook and the small patches of mountain flowers, their brilliant colors adding more life to the forest.

The moment her foot touched the stone paved road, her pace sped up. Her beautiful smile lit up her face, hiding the weariness as she nearly jogged passed people, who were pleased to see such a happy face zoom by them. Running down the stone stairs by the Inn, she caught a glimpse of Veronica and Angela, heading back to the guild, giving them a quick wave before turning the corner.

"Well, doesn't she seem rather chipper," Veronica commented as she opened the front doors to the guild.

"It's a nice change," Angela replied blankly as she entered the building, "her tired face was starting to bring the entire town down."

"That's a bit of an exaggeration!"

"Is not. It's because of her that some people are commenting on the chef's lack of enthusiasm. That restaurant is one of our biggest attractions."

"What? Raeger? Well, I'm sure that's where she's headed. Stop worrying me, Angela!"

Raeger was setting up the umbrellas to the outdoor tables when Akiko caught sight of him. Her heart was pounding, not only from the running, but from seeing his handsome face again. Even from afar, she could see his droopy eyes and nearly slouched posture. His aura screamed exhaustion, but that didn't slow her down.

Before she could call out his name, he caught sight of her, his face lighting up instantly with a large smile as he opened his arms wide for her. Carefully setting down her bag, she leaped into his embrace, throwing her arms around his neck as he slowly spun her around. Their warm embrace instantly melted away all the tension in their muscles, sending a wave of euphoria throughout their bodies.

Finally setting her down, she gazed up into his emerald green eyes, mesmerized by the way the sunlight caused them to sparkle back at her. Feeling as though she was falling in love with him all over again, her cheeks flushed pink as she turned her face away coyly. Chuckling at her reaction, he gently turned her face back towards his, and without hesitation, placed his lips on hers for a sweet, deep kiss.

"I missed you so much," she gasped softly as their lips parted. Seeing him the night before at Margaret Farm made her time away from him nearly unbearable, having to refrain from leaping at him for the sake of their 'mission.' Finally able to feel his lips against hers felt like a sugar rush.

"You have no idea," he responded as he gave her a playful smirk and a quick wink, releasing his grasp on her so they could head inside for more privacy. Grabbing her bag, she followed him into the quiet, empty restaurant.

She watched him close the door behind him, peering at his face. Dark circles were clearly visible under his eyes and his smile seemed to struggle just to stay on his face. A worried expression quickly appeared on Akiko's face.

"Raeger, are you alright?" she asked quietly. He glanced at her with a confused expression.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied, then realized how his face must have looked. "Oh, I had a late delivery of cupcakes last night. It took a little longer than expected."

"Jeez, you shouldn't push yourself so hard! You know it's alright to refuse an order every now and then."

"I know, I know, but I really didn't think it would take that long. I guess I underestimated my time."

"It doesn't help that Elise doesn't consider your closing hours, either."

"This isn't the first time she- wait, how did you know-"

Akiko's eyes widened at her sudden slip up then laughed nervously as she hurried her way towards the kitchen.

"I could've sworn you told me," she shouted as she entered the kitchen doorway, sighing from her near give away. Rubbing the back of his head, Raeger slowly followed her to the kitchen, trying to remember when they spoke last and if he really did inform her of the late order. Too tired to think, he accepted that he did.

Akiko was eager to get started on her cake so it would be ready after dinner. Raeger watched as she pulled out various dry ingredients from her bag, curious to know what she was planning. As she made her way to the refrigerator, his eyes caught the fresh strawberries and dark chocolate chips peeking up from the various ingredients hidden away in the bag.

"What's all this about?" he asked as she returned with milk and eggs, hoping for a certain answer.

"Well, I _was_ going to surprise you with cake," she answered, pulling out a large mixing bowl, "but, yesterday was, well, a bit crazy. I hope you don't mind if I make it here."

"Cake? You don't mean-"

"Yep, your favorite! Chocolate strawberry cake."

"YES! Of course I don't mind if you make it here! Make a million of them if you want to!"

Throwing his arms up into the air with excitement, Akiko couldn't help but giggle at his reaction. She expected a pleasing reaction, but she underestimated it. Quickly finishing her batter, she poured it into two round pans and tossed them into the oven.

"Now, we wait," she declared, giving him her undivided attention. "What should we do to pass the time?"

"Hmmm," Raeger pondered for a moment, "well, I need to stock up on a few ingredients, so how does a quick trip to the trade depot sound? We haven't gone together in a while."

"That's a great idea! Let's go!"

Jumping with enthusiasm, she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the door. Stumbling over his feet, he followed her out the building, her happy face setting butterflies free in his stomach. He was looking forward to finally getting some good quality time with his sunshine.

* * *

The trade depot was full of vendors and customers by the time the couple arrived. Raeger went straight to the Silk Country booth to buy his spices while Akiko visited the Cabin Country booth directly next to it to examine their various new outfits for the season. Being occupied with vendor's orders, she never had the time to unwind and window shop, and a new dress was always a pleasing feeling.

As he headed towards the Rose Country booth, he watched as her face constantly expressed her joy as she held outfits up to her body in order to get an idea of their fit. Her eyes glowed as she spun around with a bright red dress, similar to the one she had thrown away back in fall. Gathering up his merchandise, he continued onto the next booth in hopes of finding more product for his kitchen, a broad smile plastered on his face.

Lifting up the edge of the dress, she swung it back and forth, watching the fabric ruffle with the movement of her arm. Distracted by her fascination with the outfit, she failed to notice a tall figure approach her from behind, watching intently.

"That dress would look very lovely on you."

Alarmed from the sudden deep voice, Akiko nearly shrieked as she spun around with the dress firmly clutched in her hands. As she felt her heart pound furiously in her chest from the unpleasant shock, she looked up to see the tall figure's face. It was Klaus, who simply greeted her with a kind smile.

"I apologize," he started, "my intention was not to startle you."

"Intended or not, sneaking up on people usually ends up frightening them," she stated crossly, taking a step back as she still felt a little threatened, "not to mention it's rude."

"Forgive me, I was entranced by the way you were admiring that dress. It's truly beautiful, surely made of the finest material."

"As beautiful as it may be, it's a little out of my price range for such a simple dress. Besides, I can't imagine myself wearing something so fancy very often."

"Are you telling me that you never contemplated attending an occasion which requires such elegant attire?"

"I do go to events like that, just not as often as someone like you or Iris, or, er, some of your other friends."

Klaus seemed put off by her statement, but only for a second. He took a step forward to lessen the distance between them and reached out towards her, grabbing the edge of the red dress.

"Garments such as this could be worn simply to please the company of others," he stated, rubbing the soft fabric between his fingers. Akiko blushed, unsure of how to react to his statement.

Ever since the Starlight Gala, she made the effort of avoiding Klaus in fear that he had romantic feelings for her. She tried to convince herself that this was false for he had been a good friend to her, helping her during emotional times of need and offering advice for said moments. However, that night at the Gala, the small gesture of lifting up her head to see her eyes made an impact, feeling discomfort in her stomach as she felt overpowered by his touch.

This was the first time she had seen him since that night, and her occupation with her work pushed back the memory over time. His attempt at flirting just now rushed the image to the front of her mind, making her cautious.

"Speaking of ' _company_ ,'" Klaus changed the subject to his advantage, "we should arrange for you to visit. It's been quite some time since I've seen you."

"Oh!" Akiko carefully pulled the dress away from his grasp and folded it back up before placing it back into the pile. "Sorry, I've been, uhm, busy filling orders, and I, uh, still have quite a few to go before my schedule frees up."

"Perhaps you can spare a moment to enjoy a cup of tea with me?"

"I'm afraid not. I don't get much free time nowadays. Not even for a moment."

"You seem to have some _'free time'_ now."

Reaching out once again, he caught a few small strands of her hair between his fingers as flirtatious smile spread across his lips. Feeling her silky hair as he let it slip through his fingertips, he let out a deep sigh.

"This is simply torture," he muttered, turning his gaze away from her. The temptation to pull her into his arms grew the more he looked at her. He missed the mysterious deepness of her eyes and the contagious happiness she brought with her everywhere. Even though he noticed her somewhat anxious expression, his mind seemed to wander elsewhere as he noticed her plump, pink lips trembling slightly.

Carefully taking another step back, she felt the knot in her stomach grow as she became concerned with what might come next. She contemplated running, hopefully finding Raeger close by, but she was conflicted. He hadn't done anything terribly wrong, he just simply made her uncomfortable. Always considering him as a good friend, it threw her off to see him act in this manor towards her.

Trying to relax her expression, she became aware of how focused his stare seemed to be on her face. Words failed to surface to her lips as she struggled to find an appropriate excuse to leave without being rude.

"I'm sorry, Klaus," she pivoted her body slightly, ready to walk away, "but I really must be going, I- oh!" A familiar arm caught her around her shoulders before she could complete her turn, pulling her close to his body. She looked up and was surprised to see Raeger, who seemingly approached her side out of nowhere. He had seen most of their interactions from afar, making his way over as soon as he was done bargaining at one of the booths. Seeing Klaus so close to her bothered him, but seeing her hair in his hands nearly pushed him over the edge.

Despite all of this, he was able to mask his irritation quite well with a large grin slapped on his face as he looked down at his love, who peered up at him with surprised eyes. She felt more than relieved to see him, as if a knight in shining armor came just in the nick of time before the damsel fell into a dangerous situation. The tension in her body melted away as she relaxed in his embrace.

"There you are," Raeger declared loudly, catching Klaus off guard, "I've been looking for you everywhere. We need to hurry back."

"Apologies," Klaus spoke before Akiko could, he, too, masking his own irritation with a small smile, "I was simply inviting her over for a cup of tea and it seems the conversation trailed off."

"It happens, but if you'll excuse us, we need to get going before a cake gets ruined."

"Of course."

With quick nod, Klaus turned and walked off towards another booth, trying to sooth his wild heartbeat. Although he felt the moment was interrupted, he pleased to feel the soft silkiness of her hair run between his fingertips, a feeling he only imagined in the dead of night.

When he finally got out of earshot, Akiko looked up at Raeger with a confused expression. The grip he held on her shoulder wasn't painful, but his fingers were tight around her.

"Raeger?" she said quietly. He looked down at her, keeping the large smile on his face.

"We should get back before the cake burns down the building," he avoided the obvious topic, in fear of ruining the day with her. For now, anyways.

* * *

Quickly returning to the restaurant, Akiko ran back to the kitchen and checked on the cake. It was just right! Pulling it out and setting the pans atop the stove, the aroma of dark chocolate filled her lungs with warmth. A mouthwatering smile appeared as she exhaled the rich smell.

The rich aroma filled the whole building, even up to the apartment upstairs. Though it was pleasant, Raeger's mask quickly wore off as he started putting away the spices and herbs he bought earlier. Images of Klaus getting close to Akiko, touching her the way he did, upset him. It wasn't like Klaus to interfere with relationships like this, so why now?

Why her?

He knew the subject would need to be dealt with as soon as possible, so he headed back to the kitchen, taking deep breaths to calm his nerves. Walking through the doorway, his nose caught a whiff of vegetables and his eyes saw Akiko standing at the counter. The all too familiar sound of a knife gently tapping away at his wooden cutting board was nearly drowned out by the soft bubbling of simmering water. Perplexed by the sight, it easily distracted him from the intended topic as he peered over her shoulder.

"What are you up to?" he asked, eyeing the pot of now boiling water. Inspecting the ingredients she had lined up at the front of the cutting board, he assumed she was making a soup.

"Getting dinner started," she replied, carefully placing a few chopped vegetables into the water. "I just thought I'd give you a break from cooking, even if it's just for a day. Is that a problem?"

"No, not at all, it's just, you've never made me dinner before."

"What?! I've helped out with dinner plenty of times."

"Sure, but you've never made the main course. That's usually my job. You usually help out with the side dishes."

"Well, this is just soup, so there are no side dishes today."

"So, there's nothing I can do to help?"

"Nope, just think of it as ' _switching roles_ ' for right now."

Her comment brought a mischievous smile to his face, narrowing his eyes playfully as he eased up behind her, placing his hands on her waist. The ticklish sensation of his hands made her jump slightly.

"R-Raeger?!" Akiko stuttered, carefully stirring the mixture. "What are you-"

"This is what _you_ normally do when _I_ cook. You always hold me like this."

"I do?" Fearful of spilling the soup, she tried to remain focused on her cooking as she added more salt to the mixture, but her stirring quickly slowed down when she felt him bury his face in the back of her neck, the tips of his hair tickling her skin. His lips caressed her soft skin as his hands moved from her waist down to her thighs, then back up again.

 _I need to stay focused!_ she thought, ignoring his gestures. _I will get dinner finished and I will get it done right. I won't let him distract me. I can't encourage him! I just need to-_

Her thoughts were broken by the sweet feeling of his teeth carefully nipping at her neck.

"Aah," she moaned, unintentionally arching up her back against his chest.

"That's enough cooking for now," he whispered huskily in her ear, reaching over her and turning the burner on low.

"What are you doing?" she asked, turning to face him, trying to seem frustrated that he's preventing her from cooking, but her facade was broken when she caught his gaze. His eyes were filled with passion and his smile was playful, pulling her into him. Feeling her cheeks turn pink, her eyelashes fluttered before him, returning his lustful stare.

"Don't look at me like that," he chuckled, his cheeks flushing red as he rubbed the back of his head, "you know what it does to me."

"Yes," she whispered softly, "but do you know what having you away from me for so long does to me?"

As one arm wrapped itself around her waist and pulled her close, he stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers with the other hand before cupping her cheek. Placing her hand on top of his, she pressed it softly against her cheeks, feeling the warmth radiating from his skin.

"I'm sure I do," his voice was low and husky before he firmly placed his lips against hers, hungry for her taste. Not a moment later, he felt her tongue slip through his lips, rubbing against his own. Keeping a good hold on her body, he leaned back against the island behind him, allowing her to rest her body against his.

The busy season in Oak Tree Town was generous in paying his bills and filling his savings, but it took time away from her. He missed having her with him almost every minute of the day. The long conversations they would have after making love, keeping them awake for hours until she fell asleep in his arms. The way she would hold him when he told her that he felt relaxed in her embrace, but really he felt empty inside. The happiness that radiated from her, putting sunlight to shame. The kisses her lips gifted him he knew were just for him.

His favorite was, of course, the way his heart beat against his chest when she was with him. It felt stronger everyday he saw her, so having her so far away was painful. It felt good to know she felt the same way.

Parting his lips from hers, he trailed his kisses down to her chest. Slipping his hand underneath her blouse, he pulled her sleeves down over her shoulders, exposing most of her breast. As his warm tongue slid between them, she let out a quiet moan. The intoxicating sweet thrill ran up her body as lust took over her, giving into him.

"Raeger," she gasped, feeling his hand glide under her skirt. His gentle touch was addicting. "Oh, Raeger!"

"Want to go upstairs?" his tone got even huskier as he left her chest and found her lips again. Wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, she clung to him as she attempted to answer him, but his fingers stroking against her sensitive areas were making it difficult as her breathing heavier. Gently, yet firmly, she grabbed the bulge in the front of his trousers; the only way she could respond.

" _Whoa_!" His body jumped at the sudden sensation of her hand, "I'll take that as a solid ' _yes_.'" Her hand found the top of his shirt and went to work at his buttons as his fingers pulled down her panties. Waves of excitement flooded his body with every small squeeze of his bulge, letting out small moans with them. Bending down slightly, he pulled her underwear down to her knees, and just as he was about to start rubbing her now bare skin, he heard a loud noise.

It sounded like it came from the front, but he figured he imagined it. Then they heard a voice calling.

"Rae, buddy? Are ya here?"

Startled by the sudden noise, Akiko quickly composed herself, fixing her dress and straightening her hair as Raeger brought a hand up to his head, rubbing the bridge of his noise.

"I forgot to lock the door," he whispered in frustration as his brow furrowed.

"Go see what he wants," she whispered back with a small smile, fixing the collar to his shirt in order to make him look presentable, "maybe it'll be quick and he'll leave." She was a little surprised to see him get so frustrated so easily.

Fixing his shirt, Raeger walked up to the front to see Fritz, standing by the front desk. Approaching him closer, he could see a look of sorrow on his face. Before he could ask what the look was for, he answered.

"Rae," Fritz's voice sounded low and sad, "Licorice broke up with me."

"What?" Raeger responded, shocked to hear those words. "Are you sure?"

"Yah, I'm purty damn sure, Rae. Look, I need someone to talk to and Kiki didn't answer her phone."

"Well, okay, uhm, just a second." Stepping back into the kitchen, he saw Akiko tending back to the soup, still straightening the mess he left her clothes in, her cheeks still pink from almost being caught by a third party. He always found her flustered expressions to be adorable, giving a broad smile as he approached her.

"Is everything alright?" she asked, breaking his trance as he came up to the counter. Blinking a few times to snap back to reality, he rubbed the back of his head.

"Not really," he responded, keeping his voice low, "I guess Licorice broke up with him."

"She did?!" Her eyes widened with shock. She had discussed with Licorice about this, but she didn't expect her to go through with it so soon. "Poor Fritz.."

"I know, but I don't know what to do now."

"Invite him for dinner, of course. He's your friend, you can't leave him like this."

"You're right, I can't, but-"

"No 'buts,' Raeger. We can always, _ahem_ , continue later on." Leaning over and planting a quick kiss on his cheek, she encouraged him with her captivating smile.

* * *

Dinner went by with friendly conversation, avoiding the tender subject of Fritz's recent break up for the moment in hopes of easing some of the tension. Although his friends seemed somewhat energetic, he could clearly see exhaustion written all over their faces, but decided not to bring it up. He knew Raeger could be rather edgy when he was like this, and he wasn't ready to find out how Akiko handled fatigue.

"So, Fritz," Akiko began as she stood up, gathering up the empty bowls from the table, "When exactly did Licorice, uhm, talk to you?"

"This mornin'," Fritz replied grimly, resting his elbow on the edge of the table, place his face in his hand. "She said things weren' workin'."

"You two seemed fine to me," Raeger put in, standing up from the table and taking the dishes from Akiko, making his way to the kitchen.

"Ya, I thought so, too," Fritz sighed, "but she said she's havin' trouble focusin' on ' _us_.'"

"I'm really sorry, Fritz," Akiko sat back in her chair, giving him an expression of sympathy, "I'm sure once she figures things out-"

"It's all Klaus's fault," Fritz scoffed in vexation. Akiko was stunned to hear him say such a thing. _Does he know about the letters?_ "She's been stuck on that jerk fer a long time now. Wouldn' be surprised if that was the real reason."

"' _Jerk'_ is definitely the right term," Raeger agreed, returning from the kitchen, leaning up against the counter instead of returning to his seat. Catching his attitude, Akiko turned her head to him.

"Klaus hasn't done anything wrong," she scolded, "He's a nice guy, and I'm sure he didn't put these thoughts in her head on purpose."

"You're kidding me, right?" Raeger's tone turned annoyed. "You're really defending him? After what happened earlier?"

"Nothing really happened, he just got a little too close, that's all."

" _Seriously_? Do you even remember what kind of face you were making? You looked as if someone was coming at you with a knife." His attitude frustrated her, causing her to stand up and face him properly wearing a cross expression.

"Would you stop exaggerating?!"

"Would you stop being in _denial_?! Or do we need to discuss his ' _innocent_ ' nature at the Starlight Gala again?"

"I thought we talked about this already. _Nothing_ happened! You were late and he was simply keeping me company!"

"Pretty close company, if you ask me!"

Watching them go back and forth, their voices gradually raising with each statement, Fritz remained at the table, dumbfounded. He never imagined the couple would be capable of getting into an argument, especially one of this scale.

"Hey, guys?" Fritz interrupted nervously, "Y'all should calm down for a sec. Yer both purty tired-" The couple ignored his plea and continued their bickering.

"So, what you're telling me is that you're okay with the _special_ attention he gives you?" Raeger yelled, standing up straight from the counter.

"No, I _never_ said that!" Akiko matched his volume.

"You don't need to say it! It happens often enough for me to get the hint!"

"I'm not _hinting_ at anything! Will you just _listen_?"

"Why does he seem to be so comfortable with being so close to you for no reason? Like he's accustomed to it?"

Akiko's face changed from anger to disbelief, her eyes wide as she tried to hold back tears.

"What are you saying?"

"What else has he done to you that I don't even know about? Anything else happen _besides_ drinking tea?"

"Raeger, I can't believe what you're-" Akiko's tone got quiet as her hands clenched into fists at her sides before he cut her off.

"C'mon, you can tell me. It wouldn't be the first time I've been tossed to the side for somebody else!"

Fritz bolted up from his seat at the last comment, but it was too late. Akiko lowered her head, her body shaking. Tears could be seen dripping to the floor. Raeger's expression melted from anger into concern, suddenly realizing the terrible things he said. He easily let his exhaustion get the better of him, allowing him to react to the smallest things for no reason. Then, she lifted her head, tears streaming down her beat red face as her lips trembled.

"You're such an ass!" she shouted before turning and bolting out the door.

Unable to believe what words came from his own mouth, Raeger stood there, frozen to the floor. Fritz ran to the door, shouting after her, but he couldn't see her. Turning to Raeger, giving him a disappointed look.

"Ya really fucked up, man," Frizt sighed, turning to look for Akiko again. With a deep sigh, Raeger buried his face in his hands as a sharp pain pierced his chest.

"What have I done?" he muttered to himself. Looking back up, he was about to head out the door to go after her, but his friend blocked his way.

"No!" Fritz shouted. "Ya done enough! Both y'all need to rest before ya talk again! And I don't reckon she'll want to even talk to ya now."

Raeger looked over his friend's shoulder desperately. He knew he was right, but he was afraid she wouldn't never come back, not after everything he said.

 _I'm such an idiot!_ he shouted in his head as he reached over his friend and slammed the door shut.

...

Blinded by tears, Akiko's vision was distorted as she ran up the mountain towards her farm. She was afraid of anyone seeing her in this state, so she decided that going to a friend wasn't an option. Despite going uphill most of the way, she pushed herself to keep running. Each step felt like thunder vibrating through her body when her foot struck the ground. Her heart was pounding so vigorously in her chest, it hurt, but she ignored the pain the best she could.

Finally bursting through her front door, she collapsed to her knees, letting all the tears flow through her fingers as she buried her face in her hands. Raeger's accusations replayed in her mind, over and over, each time getting louder and louder.

Her sobs echoed through her dark, empty home, which now felt more lonely than it ever did.

* * *

Later that night...

Licorice's eyes slowly creaked open to the dim light of her lamp. Her face buried inside one of her many research books, pen still in hand, hovering over her notebook. Sitting up straight, she felt a kink in her neck from the uncomfortable sleeping position. Looking down at the book, she noticed part of the page was slightly damp. She knew they were from tears, but she closed the book, choosing to ignore it.

As she began to put away her materials so she could properly prepare for bed, she heard a small noise just outside her room. Tiptoeing over to the door, she carefully opened it and peeked outside. It was Nadi who was just walking down to his room.

"Getting home late?" Licorice kept her voice low to prevent waking any other tenants. Reaching in his pocket for his keys, Nadi turned his head in her direction.

"Lady Elise has many incompetent workers," he replied, "so yes, I had to stay late in order to meet today's work quota."

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said, walking over to him in order to hear him better.

"It's fine," his expression remained neutral. "I hope I didn't wake you coming up the stairs."

"No, no, I fell asleep taking some notes. I just happened to wake up as you got here."

"Looks like I'm not the only one working late."

"Yeah, I didn't have time earlier. I was a bit, uhm, preoccupied."

Nadi noticed a red mark on her cheek from her face being implanted on her book, and also her solemn expression.

"Why so glum?" he asked, turning around to completely face her. "You got your book back. You should be happy."

"I'm happy that I got my book back," she replied, nervously playing with her fingers then sighed, "but I broke up with my boyfriend today...well, now ex-boyfriend."

"Because of those letters?"

"Kind of, but-"

"You're a fool."

"What?"

Licorice looked up at Nadi, whose expression turned serious.

"I pity you, really," Nadi continued, "you ended your relationship with someone who cared for you so much because you couldn't get over some guy who doesn't even give you a second glance."

She said nothing to his comment; he was right. Her feelings were so focused on Klaus that Fritz was never even given a fair chance.

"What do I do?" she muttered, lowering her head, ashamed. There was a moment of silence, she was starting to get afraid of the answer he was going to give her.

"Simple," he replied, his tone somewhat compassionate, "let go of your unrealistic expectations of what you want. Klaus is a great man, but he's not perfect. No one is, we're human. You should try letting a man show you what he's willing to _be_ for you, what he's willing to do _._ You'd be impressed with what you can find."

Small sniffles came from Licorice as she tried to hold back her tears, her hands trembling. She was afraid to look up, afraid to look him in the eye.

"Have you ever felt a love like that?" Nadi whispered.

"No, I haven't," she replied, her voice shaky. Then, her body froze as she felt a warm finger lift up her chin, guiding her eyes to his. Once their eyes met, his hand then cupped her cheek gently.

"That's because you've been blinded by your own ideals," his voice was soft, she could feel his breath on her skin he was so close. His hand slid behind her neck, grasping it, pulling her towards him. Her eyes shot open at the sensation of his soft lips against hers. Holding her there only a moment, he pulled away, gifting her with a small smile.

"Perhaps now, you can see with new eyes," he whispered, releasing his gentle grasp on her neck. Softly stroking her cheek, he turned around and headed into his room, quietly shutting the door behind him.

Licorice stood there, still soaking in what just happened. She could feel the tips of her ears burning as she entered her own room again, her heart somersaulting in her chest. This new feeling got her excited, something she never felt with Klaus nor Fritz.

Crawling underneath her covers, she tried to soothe her rapid heartbeat, eventually, she lulled herself to sleep as she held onto the sensation of his kiss.


	21. Magnetic Affection

**Chapter Twenty-One: Magnetic Affection**

"Wow, these are really great!" Asche, the Silk Country vendor, exclaimed when she examined the goods she ordered from Akiko. "I'm never left disappointed when I order from you. You're the greatest!"

"I do what I can," Akiko smiled as she sheepishly shrugged her shoulders, accepting her large payment from her long-time business partner and friend, "but thank you so much for the complement! It's nice to know my customers appreciate what I deliver."

"Anytime. By the way, I'll have the seeds you ordered for summer closer to the end of the season. That won't be a problem, right?"

"No, not at all. I can't do much with them until then anyways."

"This was the last of my orders from you, right? Are you done for the season?"

"Yeah, I had a lot of time to focus on my work recently, so pushing through the last of it was a breeze. Now I have some time to relax."

"You should spend it with your man. He came by yesterday and he didn't look so good."

Akiko flinched slightly.

"O-oh, is that so? He's been working a lot lately, I'm sure he was just a little tired."

"If that's the case, you should help him _'relieve some stress,'_ if you know what I mean. Well, you take care now, Akiko!"

"I'll see you later!"

Walking away with her head lowered, Akiko's cheerful expression vanished as the thought of Raeger was brought to her mind. A few days ago, he accused her of having an affair with Klaus, and she hadn't seen or spoke to him since she ran out of the restaurant. She convinced herself that it was the fatigue talking for him, but the words still cut her deep.

Since that night, her phone rang a couple of times each night. She never answered it, fearing that it would be Raeger; she wouldn't know what to say if she picked up. _Why did you say those things? Do you really feel that way about me? How could you not trust me? Don't you know how much I love you? Do you know how much I'm hurting?_ The questions would seem endless.

This was the first day she journeyed down from the farm since that night. Practically isolating herself, she was able to finish her last few orders for Silk Country without interruption, but she missed seeing her customers, her friends, and even Raeger. She wished she could feel his comforting embrace, despite how upset she was with him.

Taking a deep breath to soothe her nerves, she lifted her head back up and from a distance, she caught sight of Licorice and Lillie shopping together. As a broad smile appeared on her face, she hastily made her way towards them. When she was only a short distance away, Lillie was the first to notice her.

"Akiko!" Lillie's hand shot up into the air as she shouted out her friend's name. Licorice's attention was caught, turning in the direction Lillie was looking and was more than happy to see her best friend again.

"Where have you _been_?" Licorice giggled as she gave Akiko a quick hug. "I've tried calling you these last few nights. I was starting to think you were dead!"

"I'm so sorry!" Akiko apologized. "I was just really busy."

"Well, we missed your face!" Lillie smiled. Seeing her friends' bright smiles brought warmth to Akiko's heart. "Listen, I hate to leave so soon, but I really need to get going if I'm to make it to work on time."

"It was good to see you," Akiko gave her a quick hug goodbye before Lillie left on her way towards the city. Licorice waited until she was out of sight.

"I've got loads to tell you!" Licorice's voice was nearly a whisper as she clung onto Akiko's arm. Suddenly, Akiko remembered the break up she had with Fritz.

"You sure do!" Akiko replied sternly, "I didn't think you were going to break up with Fritz so soon."

"Oh, yeah," Licorice didn't really forget about that topic, she just wanted to tell her about her recent kiss with Nadi, "let's talk over here." She led her friend over to a booth for some clothes shopping.

"So, tell me. What gave you the courage to do it?"

"I did a lot of thinking. I really wanted to move on as quick as I could, so I just did it, like a band-aid."

"He didn't take it well, I assume."

"No, he got frustrated. I know he was trying hard and he really is a great guy, but I think I need some time to figure things out."

"Did you tell him about the letters?"

"I didn't have to. He knew it was because of Klaus, but I burned the letters before I broke it off, so they won't be a problem anymore."

"Klaus seems to be the- wait, what? You _burned_ them?!"

"Yup, just tossed them in the fire."

"But you clung to those letters as if your life depended on it."

"That was the problem! How can I expect myself to move on if I can let go of my unrealistic ideals? Hey, do you think this blouse is cute?"

"Yeah, it looks cute. Well, I'm proud of you. I never thought you'd dispose of them. That gives me a bit of courage."

"For what?"

"Well, uhm, Raeger and I got into a fight.."

Akiko proceeded to give Licorice the details of their argument from a few days ago. Stunned, Licorice did the best thing she could do for the moment and just listened as Akiko vented her frustration, even with Klaus. Her friend was a little hurt, and surprised, to hear that Klaus had feelings for Akiko instead of her, but she ignored it since it wasn't important at the moment.

"So, I called him an ass and ran home," Akiko ended with a sigh, succeeding in holding back tears as she looked at new pairs of stockings, her voice tapering off to a softer tone. "I haven't spoken to him since."

"I see," Licorice replied softly, "I suppose that explains why you haven't been answering your phone. You're avoiding him."

"I want to talk to him, but I don't even know what to say. Why would he say things like that? He knows that's something I would _never_ do!"

"Akiko, I've known Raeger for years now. He's a great friend, and from a witness point of view, he's an amazing boyfriend. Before you moved here, he had a girlfriend for a while. He treated her like a queen, gave her anything she wanted whenever she wanted it. And, don't get upset for me saying this, but she was a great girl, at first. I don't know what happened, but she started spending a lot of time in the city, which we all thought was work related. This went on for weeks, and Raeger started getting worried because she started changing. She wasn't as nice as she used to be and she became very materialistic. Turns out, she was going to the city and having affairs with many men. It tore Raeger apart."

Listening intently, Akiko felt her own heart sinking into her chest. She couldn't imagine seeing Raeger so broken. She only wished he would've told her about this sooner.

"What happened to her?" Akiko asked after swallowing a lump in her throat.

"Well," Licorice sighed deeply, "after Raeger broke up with her, she got furious. She moved to a far away city and we haven't seen her since. Lillie says she stays in contact with Elise since they were best friends, but that's all I know."

"Does Raeger.. does he miss her?"

"No, he only wishes he knew sooner. He thinks that would've made it easier. Fritz and I tried setting him up on dates, but he rejected all of them. Eventually, we gave up. A few months later, you moved to town, and when I first saw the way he looked at you, I knew cupid's arrow had hit him before he did."

"But why? When I first moved here, I wasn't that great.."

"Sure you were! You were like a diamond in the rough! Almost everybody in town loved you! And, if I remember right, I think he was captivated by your smile. It was ' _brighter than sunlight_ ,' I believe was the term he used. Oh, and let's not forget your gorgeous eyes that set ' _his soul ablaze_!'"

"Haha, he didn't really say that about my eyes."

"He didn't have to, everyone could see it whenever you two locked eyes with each other."

Akiko blushed as she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. She remembered the first time she saw him, captivating him with her smile. She admitted that she was struck by how handsome and sweet he was, but their friends could see the early budding of their love before she knew it herself.

"I had no idea he said those things about me back then," she blushed.

"You're joking, right?" Licorice raised a brow. "Don't you remember how much I tried to convince you of the ' _spark_ ' you two had with each other?"

"I do remember, I just never thought a guy like him would fall for someone like me."

"I'm sure he thought the same way about you. That's probably why it took you two lovebirds so long to get together."

Akiko could feel her heartbeat racing as she thought back on all subtle flirting she did with Raeger. The feeling pushed out the anger and frustration she felt for him, making her miss him so much it began to ache. Her cheeks turned bright red as a smile spread across her lips.

"Maybe you should go find him," Licorice suggested, catching a glimpse of her blushing face, "I saw him the other day, and he misses you a lot more than you might think."

"You're right, I should go. Thank you for listening!"

With that, Akiko put down the articles of clothing and nearly ran out of the trade depot. Her heart was beating with love for Raeger once again and felt excited that she was going to see his face.

Her thoughts raced as she turned the corner to head up the stone steps, excitement building up at the thought of him. She could barely wait to speak to him with a clear mind.

Then, wall of pain slammed into her body, and her vision temporarily went dark.

Forcefully opening her eyes, she found herself against the hard stone steps. Her foot had slipped on the edge of a step, causing her to fall into hard edges of stone. Luckily, her forearms came into contact with the ground instead of her face, but in doing so, they felt heavy and numb from the pain. As she tried to stand up, she felt pain flow through her thighs and shins as they also hit the edges of stone.

"Wow, that was great," she groaned as she finally stumbled to her feet. Shaking off the pain she felt in various places, she carefully made her way up the remainder of the stairs, watching every step she took. She was thankful no one was around to see her embarrassing moment, though it failed to make a dent in her newfound confidence.

Reaching the top, she could see the restaurant in the distance. Her heartbeat sped up as her paced quickened, rubbing the edge of her arms that hit the stairs. The closer she got, the bigger her smile became, until she noticed someone standing by the entrance.

It was a woman with hazelnut blonde hair, wearing a tight pink mini skirt in matching pink heels. She was peering into the window of the door, hinting to Akiko that the door was locked. Her eyes wandered a bit to the other window, seeing the obvious closed sign.

 _'Closed?'_ Akiko thought. _'At this time? It's not even his day off..._ ' She could feel her confidence drain from her body through her feet as she approached the restaurant, her heart sinking back into her stomach. As she neared the bottom of the stairs leading to the entrance, the woman turned around to face her.

Akiko's face went from defeated to dumbfounded as she observed this woman's outfit. She was wearing very large sunglasses that matched the rest of her outfit as her light pink v-neck struggled to contain her breasts. Taking off her sunglasses to get a better look at Akiko, she caught a glimpse of her gold dangling earrings as her golden bracelets clanged together. Her deep blue eyes stared down the farm girl from atop the stairs.

' _She must be from the city_ ,' Akiko thought, referring to the woman's scantily outfit.

"I'm sorry," the stranger's annoyed tone called out, "but do you know when this place is open?"

"Uhm, no," Akiko replied with a cheerful tone, hiding her nervousness, "it's not usually closed at this time of day."

"I see," the woman folded her arms, her polished fingernails sparkling in the hot sun, "do you know where the owner might be, then? I've been knocking on this door for a while now."

 _'Raeger's not home? Where could he be?'_

"I'm sorry, but I wouldn't know that, either."

Akiko's response seemed to upset the woman. She strutted down the steps as her judging eyes observed every bit of Akiko, making her even more unsettled than before. Who on earth was this woman and what did she want?

"Is there anything you _can_ tell me? Anything at all?"

"Uhm, well I-"

"Oh, please, don't even bother. I don't want my time wasted by someone like _you_."

"Someone like _me_? _Excuse me_?!"

Before Akiko had a chance to even give her a piece of her mind, she was already heading down towards the trade depot. Once out of sight, Akiko looked back up at the door to the restaurant, hesitant to even try. Taking in a deep breath, she decided the best plan was to just go home. Her hopeful attitude had already disappeared and her confidence was drained.

* * *

On her way up the mountain trail, the words of the stranger echoed through Akiko's mind. She didn't understand why she was so rude and unkind.

 _"I don't want my time wasted by someone like you!"_ Akiko imitated the woman's voice, sounding like a snarky imp before muttering under her breath, "Bitch!" Even as she repeated the words, tears started fill the edges of her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. She wasn't going to let a bully like her kick her while she already felt like dirt.

Finally arriving at her farm, she was already imagining the comforting feel of her mattress for quick nap. Making a quick detour to the edge of the fence, she greeted her horse and a few of her cows, brightening up her face as they nuzzled up to her from her touch. One cow pushed her way into Akiko's face, lovingly nuzzling into her cheek.

"Hey!" Akiko giggled, turning her face to avoid the impact of the push, causing her to look over at the largest tree on her property, noticing that someone was sitting under it.

It was Raeger.

Her face instantly went red as a hard lump in her throat formed. Cautiously approaching the tree, she noticed he had fallen asleep in the shade as he rested near the trunk with his hands behind his head for support. Too afraid to move, she just stood next to him, watching his chest slowly rise and fall with each breath he took, his face relaxed and peaceful. She felt her lips quiver as more tears formed in the corners of her eyes.

' _Where is that confidence I had earlier?_ ' she thought as she covered her mouth with her hands to stop the quivering. Lowering her head, she turned around to head inside.

"Please, don't go."

His soft voice froze her legs. Turning back to see him, his position remain unchanged, but his emerald eyes were locked onto her. After staring at each other for what seemed like an eternity, he finally sat up and leaned against the trunk of the tree.

"I've been waiting for you," Raeger spoke softly, still locked onto her amethyst eyes.

"Why?" Akiko responded quietly, averting her gaze to the ground. She already knew the answer, but she was too afraid to say anything else in case the tears would start flowing.

"Because I love you."

Like a magnet, her eyes shot back to his as he offered her a gentle smile. His words sent her heart aflutter as her face turned pink.

"So, will you sit with me?" Raeger asked, patting the patch of soft, cool grass next to him. Without another word, she took a seat next to him, wrapping her arms around her knees and bringing them to her chest. She left a small, but noticeable space, between them, but he casually closed the gap.

"Why won't you look at me?" he asked, his smile disappearing. He desperately wanted to stroke her hair, embrace her, or anything that would give her comfort, but he was worried it might scare her off.

"Because, I-" Akiko couldn't find the words she wanted. She felt conflicted; happy to see him, but still upset. "You hurt me."

"I know, and I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say any of those things, I just-"

"Then why did you?"

"I don't know. I was angry."

"At me?"

"No, never."

"At Klaus?"

There was a moment of silence. She knew that was the answer. Finally turning her gaze to him, she saw him staring at the ground in front of him with a serious, almost frustrated, expression. Afraid the conversation was going to have the same outcome as a few days before, he decided to steer it into a different direction.

"Klaus is definitely the problem, but right now, my concern is you. I can't stand knowing that I was the reason for the tears in your eyes. That hurts more than anything."

"Raeger-"

"We're better than this, Akiko. I know we are, I just had a moment of weakness."

"That's why you have me."

Caught off guard by her response, he turned to face her again, seeing tears streaming down her cheek. She buried her face in her arms to hide them, but they had already been seen.

"Isn't that what a relationship is?" Akiko's muffled voice was barely audible. "We're supposed to be there for each other so we don't feel weak. We need to make each other feel like... like... not this."

"Akiko, I'm sorry.. I..."

"You need to tell me everything!" Her face shot up from her arms and faced him with fierce eyes. "I need to know when you're struggling! Do you not trust me?"

"What? Of course I trust you!"

"Then _will_ you!"

 _'This isn't working,_ ' Raeger thought. ' _It's going to end up the same._ ' Cupping her tear-stained face with his hands, he wiped away her streaming tears with his thumbs.

"Akiko," his voice was soft as silk, but he couldn't finish his sentence before his lips locked with hers. She didn't fight him, releasing her knees from her grip, becoming more relaxed, she placed her hands over his, feeling his tongue slip through.

Their passionate kiss went on for several minutes before he finally pulled away, gazing back into her eyes and almost drowning in the passion he saw in them. One of his hands moved to her lower back and pulled her closer to him while the other one remained on her cheek.

"I love you," he declared firmly, "and I'm not going to let something like this come between us. I want us to be close again, like how we used to be."

"Me, too," Akiko responded softy, never breaking away from his eyes. "I love you so much, Raeger, please don't ever forget that."

"I never have," he gently pressed his forehead against hers, a small smile appearing on his face, "so, will you give this poor fool another chance?"

"Of course."

As his heart leapt at her response, his grin grew twice as big as he nuzzled his face against her. Giggling, she felt a wave of warm happiness wash over her.

"I closed the restaurant for the day, so, what do you say about spending some time with me?"

Akiko nodded at his suggestion, her sweet smile never leaving her face, but she knew the topic was once again unresolved. She planned on bringing it up later that day, after they both had a chance to cool down. Helping her up to her feet, his gaze never left her sweet eyes.

At last, they headed back down the mountain trail towards town. Their hands naturally found each other and locked fingers.

* * *

Back at the Inn, Licorice was just returning from a few hours of shopping. During that time, her thoughts began to develop strange theories as to why Nadi kissed her. Before, she couldn't stop thinking about the way if felt and how fast her heart was beating at the time, but she never considered why he did it. There was no real reason for it.

 _'Was he just trying to get my thoughts clear?'_ Licorice thought as she put away her new clothes. _'No, Nadi isn't like that. Handing out kisses like chocolate... right? Maybe he was trying to tell me he had feelings for me...'_

Her thoughts were traveling a mile a minute. She wanted to react to the situation correctly, but without knowing his intentions, the fear of making the wrong move began to grow. The curiosity of whether she was really developing feelings for him or if it was just heat-of-the-moment jitters also rose to her mind.

She needed to know.

Clearing her throat as she made sure her hair wasn't a complete mess, she marched out her door and approached Nadi's. Just as her knuckles were about to hit the hard wood of the door, she froze, her nerves getting the better of her.

 _'Calm down, keep your cool.'_

Taking in a deep breath, she continued her knock. The silence that followed was almost painful as she felt the tips of her ears begin to burn. Just as she was about the muster the strength to move her legs back to her room, the door slowly swung open in front of her.

"Yes?" Nadi answered, his face as neutral as ever.

"Uhm," Licorice's voice failed to execute the words her mind was desperately trying to push out, "I was just.. uhm."

"Is everything alright?" his tone was borderline irritated.

"Well," she cleared her throat, "I needed to talk to you about something."

"What is it?"

"That thing that happened the other night... what did it mean?"

"Thing?"

"You know, the kiss."

Nadi's eyes suddenly widened as his face flushed a hue of pink. He turned his gaze away as he struggled to come up with a good answer.

"Oh, _that_ thing," he responded.

"I need to know what you meant by it," she boasted, "I realize that I'm not good at reading signs, so I'm facing it head on."

"Obvious signs," his tone got quieter, "why else would people kiss?"

Licorice blinked rapidly. _'Could he mean what I think he means?'_

"You... oh. I see."

Nadi lowered his gaze, embarrassed.

"Look, I'm not good at expressing myself," he finally met her eyes with his, "I gathered up my courage and took a chance. I'll understand if you didn't enjoy it."

"What? No, no! I just... it was really unexpected, is all."

The two stood there in silence, averting their gazes in different directions. Licorice could feel her face burning as she squeezed her fingers. She was at a loss for words, afraid of making the same mistakes she usually made with men.

"So, what do we do?" she asked shyly.

"I'm not quite sure, myself. How does dinner sometime sound? I know it's cliche, but-"

"No, dinner sounds great! Just tell me when!" Licorice backed off a bit, afraid she sounded too eager, but her boastfulness brought a small smile to Nadi's face.

"Will do," his response was cheerful. Returning his smile, she skipped back to her room, leaving him at the door. Shutting hers behind her, she placed her hand on her chest and felt it pounding wildly.

 _'I can't mess this one up,_ ' she thought to herself as she sank to the floor, the corners of her mouth began to hurt from smiling so big.

* * *

Akiko sat on Raeger's couch up in his apartment as he prepared a few glasses of refreshing iced tea. She took in her surroundings, quick flashbacks of her memories with him running through her mind. Sighing deeply, she realized how special their relationship was and didn't want it tarnished with a silly feud.

The sound of glasses being set on the table in front of her snapped her back to reality. Looking up to see Raeger to flash him a quick smile as he leaned over the table only to see his worried expression.

"Akiko," Raeger began in a concerned tone as he stood up straight, "what happened to you?"

She looked down at herself, forgetting that she had fallen earlier. Some of her abrasions on her arm and legs had speckles of blood, but she hadn't noticed.

"Oh, I fell on the stone steps earlier," she answered smoothly, "I was being careless. It's nothing to worry about."

Approaching the side of the couch, he firmly grabbed her arm and pulled it up closer to him. Examining it with stern eyes, he pressed down on it with a few fingers gently. Her arm flinched slightly, her expression giving away the pain she felt.

"No big deal, huh?" he asked annoyed. "Have you treated these yet?"

"Not yet, I had forgotten about them until now."

"Wait here."

Her eyes followed his figure as it disappeared down the stairs, curious as to where he was going. Gently rubbing the abrasion he had examined, she felt small waves of pain shoot up her arm.

"I didn't think they were _that_ bad," she whispered to herself, looking down at the wounds on her knees. She didn't mean to worry him. It wasn't long until he returned with a small white box in his hands. Kneeling in front of her, he pulled out a bottle with a few round cotton balls.

"Hold still," he instructed, dampening the white fluff with the liquid. Grabbing her arm, he began to dab it. A stinging pain quickly followed each dab.

"Ow!" she winced as she tried to pull her arm free from his grasp, but his grip was firm.

"Sorry," he chuckled as he continued his treatment, ignoring her cry.

"Why is this funny?" she asked, annoyed by his laughter.

"It's not it's just-"

"Ouch!"

"You're just so adorable."

Her eyes grew wide at his comment as her cheeks turned red, intently watching his face. His smile was sweet, even though he was inflicting pain. He moved onto her leg, gripping her from under her thigh. The squeeze sent a strange sensation to her stomach.

"Please don't kick me," he joked, winking at her, dabbing more solution on her scraped knee. Gripping onto the edge of the couch, she toughed out the last bit of stinging, trying hard not to kick him in the stomach as she tightly closed her eyes.

"There," he declared, putting away the bottle and closing the box, "all done."

Slowly opening her eyes, she saw a large band aid on her knee. _'That one must've been really bad if it needed a bandage.'_

"Thank you, Raeger," she whispered, fiddling with her fingers.

"Anytime," he smiled at her, taking a seat next to her. "You've taken care of me plenty of times. I needed to return the favor eventually, right?"

"I guess."

He noticed her quiet tone, growing a little worried.

"Is something wrong?"

"Kind of..."

Placing a gentle hand on top of her fiddling fingers, he moved closer to her. She finally met his gaze with a serious look.

"We can't keep pushing away the problem," she said firmly.

"What problem?" he asked, confused at first.

"The Klaus problem."

"Oh, right. What should we do?"

"I think you need to talk to Klaus. If I do it, well, I don't think it will help."

"Ugh."

"I'm serious Raeger, you need to-"

"I know, I know, it's just.."

"Just what?"

"It's just going to be hard not punching him in the face."

Akiko was taken aback by his words. She had never heard such violent things come from him before, let alone about him hurting someone else.

"Why would say that?" she asked, turning her face away from his. She wasn't disappointed in him, just shocked.

"I don't know," Raeger responded, starting to get frustrated as he shrugged his shoulders, "I just don't understand why he can't respect our relationship. It really pisses me off, that's all."

She could feel his grip on her hand tighten as he spoke.

"Raeger, you should calm down."

He took a deep breath.

"Right. I'll go put this away and we'll talk about it."

Getting up from the couch, he grabbed the white box and headed back downstairs, knowing full well that his words made her tense. He needed to think of what to say to make her feel better when he came back, so she wouldn't think that if he were to go talk to Klaus, he wouldn't greet him with a closed fist to the face.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he turned the corner to head towards the kitchen, but noticed someone was sitting at one of the tables. Suddenly realizing that he once again forgot to lock the door behind him, he cleared his throat.

"Sorry, but the restaurant is closed today," he called out. The stranger turned around and his eyes widened. "F-Fiona?!"

"Raeger," her voice was overly sweet as she flipped her long hazelnut blonde hair, "I've been waiting out here for a while."

"What are you doing here?" He set the first aid kit down on the counter.

"Isn't it obvious?" Slowly standing up from her chair, she made her way towards him, strutting in her tight pink mini skirt. "I'm here to see you. I want to talk to you."

Fiona stopped in her tracks when she noticed Raeger taking a few steps back as she got a little closer.

"That's too bad," he responded, his face serious and stern, "I have no need to talk to you. You need to leave."

"Don't be like that, baby," she did her best to flirt, pushing her chest out. "Just listen to me, it will be the same as it used to be."

"What?" Raeger was shocked, then let out a small laugh. "You really think I would ever take you back? After seeing how fake you are?"

"That's not nice, baby."

"Don't call me that. Now leave."

"But-"

Before she could finish, she heard footsteps pace down the wooden stairs from across the room, cutting off her words. Her expression changed from innocent to irritated, curious as to who it was up in his apartment. Then, Akiko appeared around the corner.

"Raeger," Akiko's face was concerned, then she caught sight of Fiona, "is everything- _you_!"

"You know her?" Raeger turned to face her, a stunned expression taking over his face.

"What do you think you're doing here?" Fiona's tone turned sour at the sight this other girl.

" _Me_?" Akiko ignored Raeger. "I have every right to be here."

"What right?" Fiona demanded.

Silence filled the room as the two girls glared at each other, which was finally broken by a loud sigh by Raeger.

"Akiko, this is Fiona," he apathetically introduced, "my ex-girlfriend. Fiona, this Akiko, the woman I'm in love with." Akiko was touched by the way he introduced her, but then it hit her.

' _Fiona?_ ' she thought. _'Don't tell me she's the one who...'_

"Wow, Raeger," Fiona chuckled, "I didn't know you started keeping trash in your home. That's not really healthy for you." Akiko felt rage build up in her chest.

"Who the hell do you-!" Akiko shouted, but was cut off when Raeger held out his arm in front of her, motioning her to stop.

"That's exactly why I dumped you," he retaliated, "and if you think you can trespass onto my property and insult Akiko, then it seems you've forgotten your place next to the dumpster."

Fiona's face became livid, but was left speechless by Raeger's harsh words. Her eyes darted between him and Akiko, whom he guarded so chivalrously. Overwhelmed with jealousy, she struggled to find her next words.

"I just need to talk to you," she quietly spoke, trying give him innocent eyes. "Preferably alone."

Raeger's eyes narrowed angrily, but he calmly took a few steps forward, his hands clenched into fists.

"You know damn well that you are not welcome here," his tone was assertive as he eyed her down, "So, I'll say it again since you seem to be hard of hearing. Leave. _Now_."

Shaken by intimidation, Fiona tried to compose herself as she made her way towards the door, flashing Akiko a quick death glare as her heels clicked against the linoleum floor. Slamming the door behind her, Raeger quickly locked it. His forehead made a loud thud against the door, as he took deep breaths.

"Raeger?" Akiko approached him, gently grabbing his arm. He turned towards her with a reassuring smile and pulled her into an embrace.

"I'm sorry you had to see me like that," he apologized, resting his cheek against her soft hair, taking in the sweet lavender scent it gave off, relaxing him. She had no response for him as she returned his embrace, nuzzling her face into his chest. Pulling away from him, she looked into his eyes.

"Listen to me," he spoke sternly, "you should stay away from her."

"You don't have to tell me," she responded.

"How did you know her, anyway?"

"Oh, well, funny story. She was standing in front of the restaurant earlier. She was asking for you, but-"

"What were you doing at my restaurant? I thought you were avoiding me?" He gave her a teasing tone.

"Yeah, well, I missed you! Anyways, it turns out you were waiting for me at my farm, so-"

Raeger's laughter interrupted her story, pulling her back into another embrace. For some reason, Akiko started to laugh with him.

The topic of Klaus had faded away, but they both knew it had to be dealt with quickly. For the moment, they just wanted to enjoy this small bit of happiness and laughter.


	22. Heated

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Heated**

The couple held each other close as their laughter died off while they continued to lean against the door. The poisonous thoughts of Fiona and Klaus peacefully left their minds, allowing them to fully enjoy their moment.

Akiko pulled away from him to gaze up at his smiling face. She missed the fun they would have together and wanted that back more than anything. Her eyes glistened as memories of their shared laughter flooded her thoughts. As a smile complemented her blushing face, Raeger tilted his head slightly and raised a playful eyebrow.

"What are you smiling about?" he teased, stroking her flushed cheeks with the back of his hand.

"Nothing, really," she replied, averting her eyes from his, "I was just-"

Before she could finish, the room slowly started to spin. Unable to finish her sentence, she began to feel a sharp pain in her stomach. Her sudden silence caught his attention as his expression quickly changed from playful to serious.

"Akiko, is everything alright?" he asked. Suddenly, her knees gave out on her, causing her to collapse into him, her arms grasping onto his with all her might. Her grip felt weak as her fingers trembled against his skin.

"Akiko!" his tone was strained as he supported her weight. Despite her sudden weakness, she felt comfortable in his arms.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I feel so weak right now."

"Why? Are you sick?"

"Not exactly."

"Then what?"

' _I can't hide anything from you, can I?_ ' she thought.

"Well, the thing is," she was almost afraid to tell him, knowing what his reaction would be, "I haven't eaten anything since yesterday and I guess it's finally catching up to me." Raeger wore an expression mixed with concern and frustration as he helped her over to a seat at one of the many tables.

"Why would you do that?" he asked, trying to hide his cross tone.

"I've been trying to preoccupy my mind with work," she replied quietly, resting her head in her crossed arms which rested on the table, "so I was busy getting my delivery ready for this morning and I've completely forgot about food."

She looked up at Raeger to witness his reaction. His eyes were affixed to the floor, full of worry.

' _This is because of me?'_ he thought. Realizing she was looking at him, he quickly slapped a small smile on his face as he faced her again.

"I'll whip up something quick in the kitchen," he offered, combing his fingers through her soft hair.

"No, you don't have to. This is your day off."

"Don't be ridiculous. Besides, closing for the day was a last minute decision. Now, you just rest while I make us something to eat." Without allowing her to protest, he dashed off to the kitchen. As the sounds of clinging utensils could be heard as he worked, her mind began to wander.

The hazelnut blonde hair; the deep blue eyes; the glowing skin. The image of Fiona floated to Akiko's mind as she patiently waited for Raeger to finish cooking.

 _'She was a pretty lady,'_ she thought, turning her head to the other side, feeling uneasy, _'her chest was so much bigger than mine. Her hair was shinier than mine. I bet she could get any guy she wanted... but that's why she's here, isn't it? She wants Raeger back.'_

She clenched her fists together as the thought of Fiona in Raeger's arms made her heart sink.

' _They were together once, and they were really happy once. I almost feel like... like a downgrade.'_

Her thoughts were interrupted by the soft tap of a plate being set down in front of her. Startled, she sat straight up, surprised to see steaming hot food in front of her. For a second, she forgot all about how Raeger had been putting something together for them to eat. Looking up, she saw him put his plate down across from her as he flashed her a smile.

"Did you get comfortable?" he chuckled, noticing the red mark on her cheek from lying on her arms, then he thought he saw some tears in the corners of her eyes. "You alright?"

"Oh!" Akiko wiped the edges of her eyes. "Yes, thank you so much." The food sitting in front of her looked delicious, the aroma making her empty stomach ache even more.

"I know it's nothing fancy, but I hope it will help you feel better."

"Fancy or not, I always love your cooking!"

* * *

"Wow, that's _exactly_ what I needed!" Akiko sighed happily, leaning back in her chair, leaving her plate clean of food. Her dizziness and stomach ache were beaten down with each mouthful swallowed.

"I'm happy you liked it," Raeger replied, setting his fork down on his plate. "Do you feel any better?"

"Yes, thank you. You're always there to catch me when I fall. _Literally_!" Her words brought a bright smile to his face as she stood up and cleared the table. Upon her return, she found him gazing at her as she approached him where he sat.

"What would you like to do now?" he asked sweetly, his eyelids fluttering, as if he was mesmerized by her very presence. Clasping her hands together, she shrugged innocently as she ran through a list of things in her head.

 _'There's lots of things that we_ need _to do,_ ' she thought. _'We should probably talk about this Fiona situation, and we still need to figure out what we're going to do about Klaus.'_ Hey eyes trailed off to the clock hanging on the wall at the end of the dining area. It was still early in the afternoon. _'I feel so...'_

"I want to take a nap," she suggested, "with you, of course." At first, he seemed surprised at her suggestion, but then a gentle smile appeared on his face.

"That sounds like a great idea," he sighed. He was relieved that she didn't want to discuss anything serious; he had had enough of serious talk. Now, he just wanted some good, quality bonding time with her. Standing up from his chair, he began to head towards the stairs as she closely followed. As he took his first step, he paused, glancing over to her.

"What's wrong?" she asked, confused at his sudden stop.

"I'm just worried about you," he replied, "you collapsed on me not too long ago. Are you sure you can handle the stairs?"

"Seriously, I'm fine. I can- _ah_!" Without a moment's notice, he swept her off her feet and started carrying her up to the apartment. Taken by surprise, her first reaction was to tightly wrap her arms around his neck in fear of him dropping her. Nuzzling her face into his neck, she got a good whiff of his scent, relaxing her entire body into his arms.

Nudging the door open with his foot, he gently set her down on her feet. Releasing her hold on his neck, she took off her shoes and socks, feeling the cool hardwood against her bare feet. The feeling was completely relaxing, reminding her how much she enjoyed spending her time at his home. Walking over to his bed, she noticed that he had tossed his tie to the floor and had begun unbuttoning his shirt. She felt her heart pound against her chest.

 _'After all this time,_ ' she thought, turning away her blushing face, ' _he still gets me all worked up like this.'_ Carefully turning her eyes back to him, his shirt was completely unbuttoned. Taking notice to her shy glances, he smiled at her.

"What's that look for?" he chuckled as he slowly approached her.

"You don't need to change to take nap," she stated, her cheeks glowing pink as she sat on the edge of his bed.

"Yeah, but I don't find it all too comfortable to sleep in my work shirt."

"I thought you closed the restaurant for the day."

"I did, but that's not how I woke up. I got ready for work and decided to stay closed, I just never changed."

Arriving in front of her, she looked up to his face, getting a good view of his bare chest. Out of impulse, she leaned forward and softly planted a kiss on his torso. His eyes widened at her gesture, softly stroking her hair. Grabbing her arms, he carefully pulled her up to her feet and pulled her into an embrace. Sliding her hands underneath his loose shirt, she held him close as her cheek rested against the warmth of his skin.

 _'He's so warm.'_

Pulling away from her, he shrugged off his shirt, allowing it to fall lightly to the floor. His eyes allured hers to a deep gaze as she drowned in the passion she saw in them, her heart racing. He leaned in close, his hair tickling her cheeks.

"Are you sure you're tired?" he whispered, his voice husky. "We don't have to sleep."

"I, uhm," his tease left her struggling for a response as his voice sent shivers down her spine, "even if we don't sleep, I just want to relax in bed with you." His face was so close she could almost feel his smile form on his lips.

"If that's what you really want," he replied with a sigh.

"Uhm, can I hold you this time?"

"Hm?"

"You're usually the one holding me... I just wanted to try it."

Raeger's smile grew bigger as he leaned in and gave her lips a light kiss. Moving passed her, he took his place on his bed, lying on his side, leaving enough space for her to take a spot behind him. Crawling in with him, she tried to cup his body with hers, finding it to be more difficult than she thought.

 _'I never realized how much bigger than me he was! He makes this look so easy!'_

After a few minutes of adjusting, she finally pulled herself to him with her chest pressing against his warm back. Burying her face in the back of his neck, his soft hair tickled her face, her lips almost touching the skin of his nape. With her arm holding him close, she could feel his even breathing, but she knew he wasn't sleeping, yet he remained quiet.

Then, a sly smile crossed her lips. All the times he played with her when he held her in this manner. It was her turn now. She was nervous, though, since she never tried this with him before. Placing a kiss on his neck, she felt some of his muscles tense up. Enjoying his reaction, she continued with her kisses until she felt goosebumps rise up on his skin.

"What are you doing back there?" he questioned, turning his head back towards her. She didn't answer him, fearing it might break her newfound bravery. Finding a soft spot near the shoulder, she nipped at it tenderly.

" _Nnn_ ," he let out a soft moan, exciting her more, begging her to continue. As she did, he grasped the edge of sheets, continuing to moan with each nip or kiss she gave him.

 _'No wonder he does this to me all the time,'_ she thought. _'It's so much fun teasing him._ ' Placing her lips on her favorite spot, gently at first, she began to suck, making his skin feel tighter.

"Aah!" he gasped. "Akiko, you're-" His words were cut off by his own heavy breaths. "You're making this difficult."

"I know," she whispered seductively in his ear, reaching down to his crotch and grasping the large bulge she felt through the fabric of his pants. The sensation of her grip was too overwhelming as he turned over, releasing himself from her grip and pinned her to the bed. Holding her hands above her head, he used his own elbows for support as he leaned in close to her face, his eyes full of lust and passion.

"You can't tease me like that and expect nothing back," he whispered in her ear before planting his own kisses on her neck.

"I tried, though, and- _ah_!" her moans halted her words, feeling her skin on her neck get tight. She arched her body into his, struggling to get free playfully, but his hold on her wrists above her head was too strong for her and his legs on either side of hers kept her from putting up a worthy fight. In a strange way, his dominance excited her more.

Each time her body arched into his, his heart beat faster and faster. He could feel his hands trembling as the fire he felt in his chest grow, hoping she wouldn't notice as he kept her wrists pinned. His lips traveled down her neck to her collarbone, kissing it tenderly before finding the edge of the fabric of her blouse. His teeth tugged at the edge of it.

"Well, that's not fair," he stated, his voice still husky as he met her eyes which were begging him not to stop.

"What?" she replied quietly, panting from the heat of passion.

"Your blouse is blocking my way, and soon your skirt will be, too, among other things."

"Then remove them."

A devilish smirk crossed his lips as he helped her sit up. Assisting her with her clothing, he pulled the blouse carefully off and tossed it carelessly. Pulling the zipper down the side of her skirt, he was able to easily slide it off her smooth legs, along with her lacy panties. Reaching behind her, he unclasped her bra free, allowing her to let it fall from her shoulders. Her face turned red as she felt his eyes all over her body. Watching him remove the remainder of his clothing, she brought her arms close to her chest in a poor attempt to cover herself.

Lowering her back down, he grabbed her wrists and placed them above her head again.

"Don't hide from me like that," he whispered in her ear. His hot breath against her skin sent another shiver down her spine. His hands moved from her wrists and started playing with her breasts, massaging them. One hand trailed down her side and stroked her inner thigh, asking for permission to enter. Parting her legs slightly, his hand glided in between. Delicately parting her lips, he stroked her softly, enjoying how warm and wet she felt before he began to caress her clit.

"Ah!" she gasped, her eyes widening from the rush of pleasure, feeling the tip of his finger slowly alternate between vertical strokes and circles. "Oh, Raeger!" Her breathing deepened as she felt him insert a finger. As he went back and forth, her body writhed underneath him. He could feel her tense up around his finger and he smiled at her, carefully inserting a second finger and kissing her deeply. His kiss muffled the loud moan that escaped her as the speed of his fingering gradually increased.

"Does it hurt?" his husky voice whispered as he broke the kiss, gazing at her expression as her face flushed red.

"No," she panted, "I like it. Please, don't stop." Her answer brought a sly smile to his face as he moved down to her breasts. His hot tongue became familiar with her nipples, occasionally sucking them to tease her as his other hand continued to massage the other breast. Her hands remained above her head as she arched her body against his with every wave of pleasure coursing through her body.

Feeling her silky skin consistently brush up against him slowly sent him over the edge. Carefully sliding his fingers out, he used one of his legs to push aside one of hers as he inserted himself inside. Her eyes wide with shock, he quickly captured her lips with his, thrusting his tongue into her mouth. The small vibration of her moan tickled his lips.

Wrapping her arms around him, he felt her fingers digging into his back, egging him on. Thrusting faster and faster, he watched her breasts bounce with each movement.

"Oh, Akiko," he panted as she pulled him close to her.

"Keep going," she whispered in his ear. "I'm almost- _ah_!"

He could feel the tension building as she suddenly got hotter and wetter, but he kept going until he finally burst.

" _Akiko_!" he yelled, his last thrust his hardest, her grasp on him tight. His panting grew heavier, feeling her trying to catch her own breath. He looked into her eyes and gazed upon her overly satisfied expression. Her smile was sweet and exhausted as he felt a bead of sweat trickle down the side of his face.

"I love you," she quietly called out to him, bringing a kind smile to his face.

"I love you," he whispered back, planting a sugar sweet kiss against her lips, "always." Collapsing next her, he tried to catch his breath as he felt his ears pounding. She rolled over and stroked his chest, resting her head on his shoulder.

"A nap sounds good now, doesn't it?" her voice grew quiet as her eyes grew heavy. His warm around wrapped around her, pulling her close, feeling the fatigue in his grip.

"Sounds great," he replied as he slipped into slumber.

* * *

Back at Margaret Farm...

Elise was seated at her large, oak desk going over some forms for the latest orders from the large cities. The sunlight beamed from the large window, shining upon the documents she held in her hand. Biting on the end of the pen she held in her mouth, her eyes quickly scanned for the important details. The silence was broken by a small knock at the door.

"My lady," the maid opened the door, "your guest, Fiona, is requesting an audience with you."

"Yeah, yeah," Elise replied nonchalantly, her eyes affixed to her papers, "let her in."

Without a moment's hesitation, Fiona appeared in the room, her heels loudly clicking against the floor. Her face expressed her frustration as she aggressively took a seat in front the desk. Crossing her leg over her knee and folding her arms, she patiently waited for Elise to finish. The silence was almost awkward until the scribbles of her pen nearly filled the room. Sighing deeply, she finally set down her pen and sat back in her seat and stared at Fiona's flustered expression.

"How was your first day back in town?" Elise sighed, glancing down at her nails as she had already guessed.

"Did you know anything about Raeger having a girlfriend named Akiko?" Fiona asked impatiently. Her anger rose as her friend rolled her eyes.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention that little fact."

" _Little fact_? We've been talking over the phone about me coming back for weeks and you just happened to forget that _little fact_?"

"Let's just say I don't exactly like keeping her on my mind. Besides, I didn't think it would matter."

"What would matter?"

"If Raeger had a girlfriend or not. When you were with him, didn't you have several affairs with married men in the city?"

"Oh, yes," Fiona's expression grew mischievous as she recalled all the fun she had with her many affairs.

"Then what's the difference now?"

"He says he's in love with her. He didn't even falter when I showed off my sexy outfit."

"That's a shame. Maybe try something else."

"Any suggestions?"

"Word through the grapevine is they recently got into a bit of spat because Raeger was getting jealous of Klaus."

"Klaus? The perfumer?"

"The one and only. Anyways, Klaus has fallen madly in love with Akiko and has been wedging himself in between them."

Fiona's eyes lit up as her mind began working a mile a minute. Her mischievous smile grew bigger as she brought a finger to her chin.

"You don't say," her voice had a sinister tone to it, "this might work in my favor. I'll have pay Klaus a little visit soon."

Elise suddenly felt a twinge her chest. She knew exactly what Fiona was planning, and for once, she actually felt bad. Her feelings about Akiko remained unchanged, but deep down she knew it was wrong to play with people in this way.

"What exactly are you-" Elise began, but her sentence was interrupted by another knock at the door. Her quick temper caused her to bolt up from her chair. "What is it?!"

Nadi opened the door and allowed himself in, trying hide the irritation he felt towards her response.

"Those rose bushes you ordered," Nadi said firmly, "where exactly did you expect me to put them? You never discussed this with me."

"Oh, those," Elise composed herself, "take out those hedges by the entrance of the mansion. I've grown bored of them. Donate them to, I don't know, the park or something."

"Of course," Nadi replied. Before he turned out, he glanced down at Fiona who was locked onto him with her deep blue eyes. When she noticed him staring back, she winked at him and blew him a silent kiss. Slightly flustered, he turned around to head out the door when he saw Kamil entering the room. Nodding in acknowledgement, he passed him without a word.

"He looked upset," Kamil commented as the approached the desk. Thrilled to see him, Elise skipped over to him and thrust her arms around him. As she did so, he took notice to Fiona and instantly felt uncomfortable.

"Kammy!" she screeched. "You're back!"

"Y-yes," he replied, hugging her back. "I thought I'd stop by for a quick visit, my flower, but I see you have company."

"Oh, yes. Fiona, you remember Kamil, right?"

"Who could forget?" Fiona replied sweetly. "How could you not tell me about this?"

"I'm sorry!" Elise replied. "I thought I'd surprise you! Isn't it great?"

"It's a fantastic development," her friend replied softly.

"Should I come by later?" Kamil asked, keeping his attention on Elise.

"Please do," she replied with a seductive tone, "I'm sorry you came by at a bad time, Kammy!"

"Me, too," he eyed Fiona suspiciously as he gave his girlfriend one last hug and a quick kiss before exiting the room.

* * *

Nadi made his way out the front entrance, breathing in the fresh air. Looking ahead, he noticed a figure in the distance approaching. Squinting and using his hand as a visor, he hoped to get a better idea of the person, then his eyes widened. Walking towards them to close the space between them, he called out to them.

"What are you doing here, Licorice?" Nadi asked firmly as she finally arrived in front of him, carrying a small black box wrapped in a handkerchief. Her face instantly grew red as she turned her eyes away.

"I just wanted to see you," her voice was quiet. Her response caught him off guard as his cheeks grew pink.

"Oh, I, uh, ahem, I see," his eyes wandered.

"I brought you this," she nervously handed him the box, "you can throw it away if you want to."

"What is it?"

"It's just a small lunch. I thought I'd make you one."

"Why would you do that?"

"Why else would I?"

Nadi turned his gaze back to hers to find her smiling. His cheeks grew hot as he turned on his heel.

"I need to get back to work," he responded coldly, making his way back towards the back of the building, keeping the box close to him in case he dropped it. After a few steps, he looked back over his shoulder at her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," her face beamed brightly. She turned around and quickly exited the property. As soon as she was out of sight, he unwrapped the box and opened it to find a couple of sandwiches and some fruit.

A smile spread across his lips, not even attempting to hold it back.


	23. Under the Full Moon

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Under the Full Moon  
**

Sitting at his workstation, Klaus was busy at work on a new fragrance line requested by a major company. Lined up neatly in front of him were three bottles, next to them, a pad of paper and pen. Opening up the first bottle, he held it several inches from his nose and closed his eyes as he took in a deep, slow breath. As he exhaled, he gently returned the bottle to its place, scribbling down notes as he murmured them under his breath. Taking in another breath to clear his nostrils, he did the same to the second bottle. His reaction was a little more disappointing as he scratched more notes onto the paper.

Just as he was about to start with the third bottle, he hear a melodious knock on his front door. Finishing up his last thoughts in his notes, he took off his glasses and set them down in front of the bottles before heading towards the door. Straightening up his jacket and clearing his throat, he peered through the small window atop the door to see blonde hair. The woman had her back turned, facing the courtyard. Assuming it was Iris, he opened the door, but as he did, the woman turned around with a sweetly evil smile.

"Fiona?!" Klaus was shocked and displeased to see her. Then again, he should've known. Iris would never wear a gaudy blue sundress such as the one Fiona was parading around in.

"Nice to see you, Klausy," Fiona responded as she removed her large blue sunglasses that matched her dress. She bit the edge of her glasses in an attempt to tease him, but he only responded with a slight scowl.

"What do you want?" he demanded, hoping to make her visit as short as possible.

"Why does everybody seem so displeased to see me?" she pouted, puffing out her cheeks. Klaus simply rolled his eyes at her attempt to be cute. The last time the two crossed paths, she had spread a nasty rumor about Iris and Mistel, which left bad blood between them. Eyeing her down with his scowl, she shook off her pout and flipped her hair.

"I simply came to have a little chat, that's all."

"I'm sure whatever it is won't interest me in the slightest. Now, if you wouldn't mind-"

"Oh, but I'm sure it will, Klausy. You see, it involves this girl I met just a few days ago. Oh! What was her name? I'm sorry, it slipped my mind. A-Aki? Aki-something?"

Klaus's eyes suddenly widened, the world around him slowing to a halt.

"Akiko," his tone grew soft as her name slipped through his lips like honey. Taking notice to his reaction, Fiona knew she had hooked his attention. All she need to do now was reel him in.

"That's right!" she did well in hiding her animosity towards the gem-eyed girl. "Akiko! Sorry, she's a new face to me, so it might take some time. Anyways, I wanted to discuss something with you about her. And I _know_ it'll peek your interest."

Shifting his eyes to be sure no one was watching, particularly Iris or Mistel, he took a step aside, silently inviting her in. His gut told him to be extremely cautious, but if it concerned Akiko, he needed to know what nasty plot she was cooking up.

Fiona found herself comfortable on one of the sofas. Removing her blue sunhat and placing it on the arm of another chair, she placed her hands on her knees to sit properly. Klaus, on the other hand, sat on a sofa across from her and eyed her intently, studying her body language in hopes of catching any clues to her true intention. Not wanting to waste time with formalities, such as tea, he got straight to the point.

"You were saying something about Akiko," his was voice was calm, yet demanding. The moment he said her name, he caught a glimpse of a dark twinkle in her eye as her smile grew bigger.

"Let's cut to the chase," her sugar sweet tone was gone as her expression grew more sinister, "I know about this _infatuation_ you have with her, and I'd be willing to help you out." His muscles grew tense as her words slithered out of her mouth. Whatever she was planning, he knew it wasn't good. She took advantage of his silence and continued.

"Skipping over some minor details," she continued, keeping her eyes on him, "I've come back for Raeger. Although, I'm sure you know, this Akiko girl is in the way. If you and I work together, we can both get what we want. I was thinking if-"

"Enough," his voice boomed over hers as he stood up from his seat. His reaction startled her, the color nearly draining from her face. "I refuse to participate in any scheme of yours. Akiko may be dear to me, but I would never commit such a heinous act!"

"From my understanding, you already have," Fiona's devilish smile returned to her face. "I've heard of all the things you've done to woo her, even though she's already in a relationship. So, why not take it a step further? Take what you believe should be yours. Who says Raeger deserves her more than you?"

Klaus looked away, not knowing what to respond with. Fiona stood up from her seat and walked over to him.

"I'm not saying you'll have to do much. Just wait until I get them apart and snatch her up while she's down. She'll see you as her knight in shining armor by that point."

"What exactly are you planning to do?"

"As I said, I haven't thought that far ahead just yet, but believe me, you'll know when the time is right."

"I won't help you. I refuse to do anything that could possible cause her any harm. This... this is wrong."

"It may be wrong, but can you resist an such a grand opportunity when it arises?"

With the last word, Fiona made her way over to the door, looking back over to Klaus and giving him a playful wink before she swung it open and skipped down the steps back to Margaret Farm, leaving him in cold silence with his thoughts.

Klaus watched the door as it slowly swayed from the slight breeze. He wanted no part in hurting Akiko, but the idea of the opportunity to claim her as his own was tempting, almost irresistible.

...

Outside, just as Fiona skipped her way out of Klaus's home, next door, Iris was watched from a window in her own home, eyeing down the blonde haired imp. Her arms folded tightly against her chest with her lips pressed together, she took a deep breath, feeling an ache in her chest, sensing the trouble omitting from Fiona.

For now, she decided to keep an eye out for Klaus, not knowing what words were exchanged during the short time she was in his home, but whatever they were, they were meant to cause harm to others.

* * *

Early afternoon, Licorice was returning to the Inn from one of the orchards for her studies. Lillie had already left for the day, leaving no interest to stick around the lobby. Slowly making her way upstairs, she carefully began rereading some of her notes she had just taken, just be sure she didn't forget to jot anything important while it was still fresh in her mind. Approaching her door, she caught something out of her peripheral vision. Lowering her notebook to get a better look, she saw a small piece of paper folded in half, wedged between the door frame.

For a moment, she stood there in a daze, as if she still needed a moment to bounce back to reality. Shifting all her books and paper to one arm, she pulled the note free from the door and unfolded it using her thumb and forefinger.

 _Dinner tonight?_  
 _Meet me at 6?_

 _-Nadi_

The small organ in her chest began to beat rapidly as she felt her face turn red. Smiling from ear to ear, she opened up her door and placed her things on her desk. Grabbing one of her sticky notes, she scribbled down a quick response. Quietly walking back into the hallway, she pressed it against Nadi's door before slipping back into her own room.

 _Sounds great!_  
 _I'll wait for you in the lobby._

 _See you soon,_  
 _Licorice_

...

Hours later, Licorice put on a new dress she bought from the trade depot. Soft green and blues with white lace trim made it a nice summer dress, perfect for a first date. The skirt stopped just above her knees, a little shorter than what she was accustomed to with her normal attire, but today was a day for new experiences. With that, she pulled out a pair of white sandals given to her by Lillie the previous summer, to match her outfit.

As she modeled for the mirror, she blushed as she adored the new look, but something was missing. Her hair was the same as it had been everyday for years. Opening up the drawers to her dresser, she was able to dig up a white scrunchie, and with it, she pulled her hair back into a neat pony tail. Her thick hair made it look full and bushy. Looking back into her reflection, she could barely recognize herself, making her nervous.

 _What am I doing?_ she thought to herself, swallowing a hard lump in her throat. _I've never gone through such lengths to impress anybody like this..._

Then, an image of Nadi quickly flashed through her mind, catching her off guard.

 _Does this man really have that much of a hold on me already?_

Taking a deep breath to settle her nerves, she headed out her door and down the stairs into the hotel lobby. Glancing around, she saw no sign of her date. The only person around was Melanie, who was tending to the front desk.

"Hi, Licorice!" Melanie called out, standing on her chair to be sure she was easily seen.

"Hey, Mel!" Licorice cheerfully greeted as she approached the desk. "Is Lillie still not back from work?"

"No, she's running a little late today, but it's okay! I can handle a grown up job like this!"

"I'm sure you can! Have you seen anyone else in a while?"

"Hmmm... I did see Nadi a little bit ago. Oh! He said to give you this."

"Me?"

Melanie hopped down from her chair and grabbed a folded piece of paper. Running around to the other side of the desk to meet Licorice face to face, she handed her the note, as if she was completing some sort of secret mission. Carefully taking the message from the small girl, she felt her hands begin to sweat. Unfolding it, she read:

 _Had to run to Margaret Farm for a quick errand._  
 _I'll meet you at the restaurant, I won't be too long._

He left it unsigned.

"Thank you, Melanie," Licorice sighed with relief as a smile graced her lips. Grinning with accomplishment, Melanie returned to her post behind the desk. Slipping the note discretely into the trash bin, the botanist left the hotel and made her way towards the restaurant.

On her way, she started to contemplate the possible outcome of the night. In fear of scaring him off or pushing him away, she didn't want to say or do anything wrong. She didn't even know much about him; he was an all around mystery, making him more alluring. This date was a great opportunity to gather a few pieces to the puzzle that is Nadi.

Entering the restaurant, she noticed that tables were just beginning to become scarce. She waited for Raeger at the checkout desk, hoping he could get her a good table, but as she did so, she suddenly realized she never got the chance to tell Akiko about Nadi a few days ago. She got distracted trying to help her friend make up with her boyfriend, completely forgetting about the subject.

 _If Raeger sees me with Nadi, he's going to tell Akiko!_ she screamed in her mind, trying to remain physically calm. _She's going to be so upset that I never told her! What's worse, is that he could tell-_

"How can I help you tonight, Licorice?"

Her thoughts were brought to a complete halt as Raeger approached the desk with his welcoming business smile. Feeling her ears burn, she did her best not to give away that was feeling like a nervous wreck.

"H-hey, Raeger," she smiled, "table for two, please."

"Oh, sure," he responded, "Inside or out?"

"Outside," the thought of dining to a beautiful sunset tugged at her heartstrings, flushing her cheeks a rosy pink. She figured she could sneak in a little atmosphere for her date. Taking notice to her blush, a mischievous smile appeared across Raeger's lips.

"On a date tonight, are we?" he asked, narrowing his eyes slightly. His assumption completely startled her, even though she knew he was going to find out sooner or later.

"Well, I, uhm," stumbling over her own words, she knew she couldn't lie and get away with it, "yes, I am."

"I'll be sure to make all your food into a heart shape, okay?"

"You better not!"

"I'm just kidding, chill out. So, who's the guy?"

"It's, uhm, Nadi."

"Nadi? Yeah, right, who is it really?"

"Just wait and see then, if you don't believe me."

Chuckling at her agitation, he grabbed two menus and handed them to her.

"Just pick a table outside," he instructed, "I'll be out in a moment to get your orders." Face red with frustration, she snatched the menus from his hand, turned on her heel, and went back outside with her head held high.

Choosing a table farthest away from the building, she believed they could get a good view of the soon to be gorgeous sunset as their date progressed. A slight breeze ruffled the edges of her dress and lifted her hair, the cool air caressing her bare neck, bringing a satisfying smile to her face. Finally taking her seat, she began glancing at the menu, and just as she began wondering when he was going to show up, she noticed him approaching the table.

Wearing a dark blue shirt and tan pants, he look remarkably handsome. Although it was still tied back, without his bandanna, Licorice was astounded to see the sheen of his long, silver hair as it swayed in the slight breeze. Pulling up a chair directly across from her, he gifted her with a small smile as he couldn't help but noticed her gaze.

"This is a good table," Nadi commented.

"Oh!" Licorice's trance was broken. "Yeah, I guess I was lucky." She started to get nervous as she felt his crimson eyes examine her from head to toe.

"You look... different," he said, as his eyes darted towards the menu. His tone was blunt, but not harsh, leaving her unsure of his intention.

"Is that bad?" she asked shyly, placing her hand on her lap. Her response widened his eyes as he returned his gaze back to her.

"No, no, I like it," he quickly reassured, "it's a fresh look for you."

Licorice blushed to his complement, bringing a coy smile to face.

"Thanks, same to you. Those clothes make you look so sophisticated, I didn't think you had anything like that."

"I don't. I'm borrowing these. All my shirts are for work and this shirt didn't match anything else I had, so I need a pair of pants, too."

"I see. Well, you look nice." He smiled in response before returning back to the menu.

"I've never eaten here before. What's good?"

"Really? Never? Well, everything, I guess. I've never eaten anything that Raeger's cooked that's tasted bad, so I suppose it all depends on your tastes."

"Right, well, then I guess I'll try his curry."

* * *

"Enjoy!" Raeger asserted as he delivered their entrées. Steam rose from the Nadi's curry, filling his nose with a harmonious aroma of spices and herb. Leaving them to enjoy their dinner, Raeger smiled at the happiness he saw beaming from his friend's face.

Cautiously gathering a spoonful, Nadi eyed the food suspiciously, questioning its quality as he examined it all around. Almost annoyed with his paranoia, Licorice giggled to ease the tension.

"Just try it," she smiled, eager to see his reaction. Finally bringing the food to his lips, he took his first bite and his eyes instantly lit up.

"Wow, this is amazing!" Nadi exclaimed after he swallowed, digging up another spoonful. Licorice was happy to see him enjoying his meal as she enjoyed the delightful crunch of her soybean salad.

"I'm still surprised you haven't eaten here before," she commented, taking a quick sip of her iced tea.

"There's a lot I haven't done since I've moved here, and I've been here for a while now."

"What do you do, mostly? Just work?"

"Looks that way. I didn't think I'd stay here this long."

"What do you mean?"

"I move around a lot. I've been all over the world, many different countries, cities, villages, you name it. I don't usually stay in one place for too long."

A small knot began to form in Licorice's stomach.

"So, does this mean you'll be leaving soon?" she asked nervously, taking another mouthful of salad as she glanced up at him. His eyes were watching the sunset, the light from which lit up his crimson eyes, making them seem as if they were glowing.

"Like I said," he returned to his meal, "I don't stay in one place for too long... but, there's something about this place that's keeping me here. I'm not sure exactly what that is."

"The mountains."

"Huh?"

"The mountains are the reason I love it here. The clean air, the gorgeous wildlife, the quiet. I've never experience anything quite like it back in my home village. Not only has it provided tremendous amounts of plants for my work, but it's also given me my own safe haven, of sorts. It's magical, in a way."

"I see. I've only been up there a few times. You'll have to show me this ' _magic_ ' sometime."

"I'd be more than happy to. Maybe it can convince you to stay, even it's just for a little while longer."

Nadi chuckled lightly at her innocent remark.

"Maybe."

* * *

Both happily finished their delicious dinner, leaving their plates clean. After taking care of their check, the streetlamps throughout the town lit up the stone paved streets, giving the buildings a soft, white glow as the diamond sky overpowered the oranges of the sunset. Instead of ending their date at dinner, Nadi sparked up an idea.

"Let's go for a walk in the mountains," he suggested. Licorice stopped in her tracks, letting him get a few steps ahead of her as she allowed his proposed activity sink in. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw the look of confusion on her face.

"Now?" she asked. "Like, _right now_?"

"Is there a problem with now? Is the magic of the mountain less effective at night?"

"No, it's just getting dark."

"We'll have the light of the full moon to guide us."

She looked up at the sky to see a bright, pearly-white moon hovering above them. The sight of it made her smile as she looked back to him.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt."

As they made their way up the mountain trail, the sound of crickets and rustling leaves filled the air while Licorice explained her hometown to Nadi. She gave him details about her uncle's fruit orchard, which inspired her to study botany. Leaving when she was just a teenager to come to Oak Tree Town, she left behind the only family she had to follow her dreams and make something of herself. If she had decided to stay, she would've merely worked at her uncle's orchard, unable to leave with what money she would make. After time, the small village felt like a prison.

Her story inspired Nadi to tell a few of his travel stories. The people he's met, the places he's seen, giving him new and different views about life. The small town he was born in was stricken with poverty, so he began working at a young age. One day, when he was still a young pre teen, he hitched a ride in the back of the truck and got his first landscaping job. After a few years, he developed an amazing talent for it and was offered a job from a rich family that lived outside of the country. From that point, he's traveled all over the world, bouncing from job to job and eventually just ended up in Oak Tree Town.

The two eventually wandered into the orchard field. Deciding to take a small rest, Licorice led them to the fence at the edge of the property which was at the top of a hill, giving them a great view of the town, which looked like a handful of lights at that point.

"This is where you do your work?" Nadi asked, placing his hands on the wooden post, gazing at the view lit up by the bright moonlight, feeling the uplifting breeze ruffle his hair.

"Mostly," Licorice responded as she began to lean against the fence, soaking in the same view. "I bounce all around these fields, but this is the main reason I spend my time here. It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes, very."

There was a short silence as a gentle wind passed them. Now feeling more comfortable around him, she decided now was a good time to dig a little deeper.

"You don't talk to very many people, do you?"

"Not really."

"Is there a reason?"

"It makes it easier to leave."

A hard lump formed in Licorice's throat.

"Does this mean you're leaving soon?"

Nadi remained silent as he pondered her question. His eyes reflected the bright moonlight as he affixed his gaze to the ground. This made Licorice even more nervous. She wanted to know as soon as possible if he had plans on leaving any time soon so she could stop growing a strong attachment to him.

"I haven't decided," he finally replied. His answer puzzled her for she expected something different.

"Why is that?"

"The more I get to know you, the more difficult it gets to think about leaving."

"Oh?"

"You're really kind to me, and you fascinate me, but just recently, you've been running through my mind. Until just now, I didn't understand why."

"Until now? Then, what's the reason?"

He turned towards her, his eyes full of determination and kindness. Her eyes widened as she watched him slowly close the gap between them. Only inches away from her, he leaned in, lowering his eyelids and parting his lips slightly. Drawn to his silent invitation, she met his lips with her own as she fully turned her body to face him, feeling her heart leap.

 _Her lips are so soft_ , he thought, feeling his heart begin to race. Wrapping one arm around her waist, he pulled her closer while his hand gently grasped the back of her neck, making the kiss deeper. Having only inches of room, she placed her hands on his chest to make herself more comfortable. His gestures squeezed a small moan from her lips, allowing his tongue to ease in to meet hers.

As their tongues warmly danced with one another, she felt a strange wave of pleasure pulse through her body, followed by the dread of fear. Her hands began to tremble as they clenched the fabric of his shirt. Concerned, he pulled away slightly and gazed deeply into her eyes.

"Is something wrong?" his voice husky from the excitement.

"No, well, not really," her quiet response was shaky, "it's just that... I don't want to.. I mean, I want to..." Pulling away from him, she couldn't bare to look in him the eye as she struggled to find the right words to say. Embarrassed by her own incompetence, she turned her face away from his. It took a moment for Nadi to understand what she meant, but when he did, a warm smile blessed his face as he reached out and stroked her glowing cheek with the back of his fingers.

"You're doing just fine," he whispered, guiding her eyes back to his by turning her head. His kind words were relaxing as her worried expression melted away. "I've really enjoyed my time with you tonight."

"I did, too," she responded as he closed the gap between them, making her heart race once again, giving her a small hint of bravery. "We should do it again sometime."

"Agreed, but for now, we should head home. It's starting to get late."

Smiling in response, she nodded in agreement.

Finding her hand, he interlocked his fingers with her and allowed her to lead the way home down the dark mountain path. The twists and turns were so familiar to her, traveling it at night was no problem, but he knew he would've gotten lost at the first turn. Making small talk along the way to break the silence, she would point out what fields were located where each time they turned down a path.

As they were making their last turn on the mountain path, they passed the stone bridge which led to the Hillside Farm area. Standing near the bank of the bridge was Fritz, who was doing some late night fishing. He turned around when he head the faint sound of voices, and could only see dark figures at first. Putting down his fishing pole, he quickly made his way closer to the main path, but soon stopped as the figures were visible.

He froze as he watched a happy Licorice hand-in-hand with Nadi, leading him around the corner as she was explaining to something to him. His face was blank as he watched them walk back into town together. Finally swallowing a lump in his throat, he was able to bring a small smile to his face.

"Glad yer happy, Rish," he whispered to himself, a small tear rolling down his cheek as he returned his spot by the bank, no longer caring if he caught anything for the night.

* * *

By the time Nadi and Licorice walked in the hotel, most of the lights had been turned off and no one was at the front desk. The two quietly made their way upstairs, careful not to make any kind of noise, their hands still locked together.

They arrived at Licorice's door first. She blushed as she faced him, not sure what to say to end the great evening they had together. Feeling his hands gently squeeze hers as his eyes remained affixed to hers, she felt her heart skip a beat, then realized how long they were standing there in silence.

"Why so quiet?" he whispered.

"I don't mean to be," she spoke softly, "I just don't want to end such a great night."

"It was a great night, but we'll have another night together soon."

"Oh, yeah? Do you promise?"

"Promise."

Suddenly, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers, sealing his promise with a kiss. Her eyes were wide with surprise, but then fluttered closed as she parted her lips ever so slightly, hoping he would kiss her the way he did back at the orchard. As if he silently received her wish, he softly slid his tongue through her lips, meeting hers. She felt her knees get weak, but kept herself standing with all her might. Wishing the moment could last forever, disappointment was visible in her eyes when he pulled away.

"Goodnight," his voice soft as silk, giving her a small smile before he headed down the hall towards his room.

"Goodnight," she called back quietly, staring after him until he disappeared behind his door. Entering her own room, she closed the door behind her and leaned against it, holding her hand against her chest to feel her heartbeat. Slowly sliding down to her knees, she sighed as her cheeks hurt from how big her smile was.

Quietly closing the door behind him, Nadi began unbuttoning his shirt. As he folded it up and placed it on the corner of his bed, he licked his lips to taste the flavor which still lingered there.


	24. Breaking Seams as We Burn Closer

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Breaking Seams as We Burn Closer  
**

The image of Nadi's crimson eyes was branded into Licorice's mind; red and hot. Each time she thought about it, the ache of his piercing gaze felt fresh. She softly rubbed her bottom lip with her finger, remembering his hungry kiss against it. Feeling her mouth water, she swallowed, feeling a hard lump in her throat. Her muscles tightened as the idea of him consumed her a way unfamiliar to her.

Suddenly, she felt a small tug at her feet, snapping her out of her trance and back to earth. Startled, she looked down to see a chicken playing with the laces of her shoes. Once it realized it caught her attention, it looked up at her, tilting its little head to the side, as if it were curious about her immobility. Moving her foot back startled it. The sporadic wing flaps made Akiko, who was spreading feed, giggle as she watched it scurry away to find a pile of feed.

"You seem a bit out of it today," Akiko commented, spreading more feed around evenly before refilling the rabbit food.

"I guess my mind is a little busy," Licorice replied, still stroking her bottom lip, her distracted eyes giving away more than she realized. Her friend wasn't about to give up so easily until she got the scoop.

"So, tell me what's got your mind so busy."

Licorice was a little hesitant to tell Akiko, afraid of what would happen once word got to Fritz that she was dating somebody else seemingly so soon after their relationship, but this was her best friend. She knew she could confide in her about anything. Taking in a deep breath to catch her courage before it snuck away, she picked up a crate of eggs and started heading outside.

"I went on a date with Nadi a few nights ago." Silence followed her as she headed out to the cart, already halfway stocked with produce and animal byproducts. Just as she set it in its place, she heard the coop's doors swing open.

"With who?!" Akiko's exclaimed excitedly. "How could you not have told me?"

"I wasn't sure. It all happened so fast."

"Well, start talking! You have to tell me everything! EVERYTHING!"

"Alright! Calm down before the entire town hears you!"

She proceeded to give excellent details about her date, including the kiss in the overlooking orchard. With each detail, she could feel her heart beat harder and faster as her face flushed pink, getting lost in her own tale of infatuation as if she was experiencing it all over again.

"That's so romantic," Akiko sighed as she loaded up the last of her milk and eggs onto the cart, securing the back gate, a sappy smile spreading across her lips. "Is there going to be a second date?"

"I really hope so," Licorice huffed as she pulled herself up on the front seat of the cart, watching her friend secure the straps to the horse. "I don't know what it is about him, but I can't stop thinking about him. He's just so.. so... _mysterious_."

"He _is_ really good-looking. You haven't heard from him since then?"

"We run into each other sometimes at the hotel, but I've been so busy getting my research put together that I kinda rush our conversations. I hope he doesn't feel like I don't want to talk to him."

"I'm sure he knows you're busy with your work. You're not busy right now, though, so why not go see him?"

"That's easy. I haven't seen my best friend in a while, so that was top priority!"

Her comment made Akiko smile as she grasped the reins and headed towards the trade depot. On the way down, Licorice apologized for not telling her sooner in fear of Fritz's reaction.

"Honestly, I don't think you should have to worry about it so much," Akiko conveyed, "You two aren't together anymore, so who either of you date shouldn't be the other's business."

"I know," Licorice responded, taking in the passing scenery, listening to the rustling of the trees, "I just didn't want him to think I moved on so quickly from him.. but there was nothing there. He knows that."

"If you're that concerned, don't say anything to him, but if he asks you, don't hide it. Be honest with him. By the way..."

"What?"

"When you say there was _nothing_ there, what exactly do you mean? I thought you two had a pretty good relationship."

"Uhm, well, he never really wanted to do anything."

"Like what?"

"You know... _anything_."

"Oh... _OH_!" Akiko's face turned red once she realized what she meant.

"I... I wanted to experience new things, but he always avoided the subject. I felt like it wasn't going anywhere."

"New things? You mean you're a-"

"Yeah..."

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about. Raeger was my first. It wasn't exactly something I planned or forced, it just happened... and it was fantastic. He was so gentle with me and-"

"Yikes! That's enough! Maybe you should go see him if you miss him that much."

"I am, I actually have some stuff he ordered from me. It'll be nice, I just hope he's not too busy today or it'll be a short visit."

Finally, the two arrived at the busy trade depot. Licorice helped Akiko deliver many of her orders to the different vendors until only a few things were left in the back of the cart. Eager vendors bargained for the remainder of her goods until only a small container of strawberries and Raeger's order were left.

"Wow, I didn't think so many people would want your product that badly," Licorice said nervously, after just witnessing so many people crowd around her cart in hopes in getting anything. Akiko smiled and shrugged.

"What can I say," she giggled, "I've grown popular."

"I'll say, who would want to buy from someone like _you_."

The girls turned towards the direction of the voice, only to have a displeasing view of Fiona in a bright yellow sundress with matching shoes, hat, and sunglasses. Scowls appeared on their faces as the imp approached them.

"If only the people knew the quality of the product you give them," Fiona sneered as she eyed Akiko, her eyes traveling up and down her body, examining her work clothes, which happened to be a pair of short overalls with a red shirt and a blue bandana, all of which had a dusty layer of dirt. She also noticed that she was still wearing her work gloves.

"They know the quality is good because of how I look," Akiko smiled, patting her clothes to get some of the dirt off, taking notice to her judging stares, "they all know I work hard, which means getting filthy every now and then."

"It must be such a strange sight for you," Licorice snickered, "not knowing what real work is."

Annoyed by their comments, Fiona's expression was unpleasant as she came closer to them before the corners of her mouth twisted upright.

"By the way, dear," her sickeningly sweet tone slithered out of her mouth, "I had no idea what I was missing. Raeger is such a _dog_!"

Akiko's expression went blank for a moment, the heat of the summer sun beating down on them as beads of sweat trickled down her cheeks. Studying her expression, it was difficult to detect if Fiona was bluffing or not.

"What are you talking about?" Akiko's brows furrowed as her tone because serious in an attempt to stand her ground and intimidate the imp.

"Oh, you've both been so busy lately, I guess you must not know..."

"Know what?"

"Well, you see, dear, I've been paying my darling Raeger nightly visits near closing and, well, let's just say we've grown quite smitten with each other. It's just like old time; so hot and heavy."

"You're lying, he would never-"

"My my, but how would you know? Like I said, you've both been so busy lately, poor thing has been lonely."

"Stop it."

"Every man has needs, dear, and until you learn that properly, you'll never have a proper relationship, especially with _my_ Raeger."

Akiko's clenched fists were trembling at her sides as she pressed her lips together. The very thought of Raeger holding Fiona in his arms made her stomach turn into tight, unmanageable knots. As an image of them kissing flashed through her mind, she felt her heart sink. Then, she saw Licorice approach from the corner of her eyes with a stern expression.

"You have no right to talk about ' _proper relationships_ ,' Fiona," her voice was as stern as her expression, catching the imp off-guard. Sneering down at the botanist, Fiona felt insulted by the mere remark, despite how truthful it was.

"Believe what you want," she sighed, faking a smile to hide her humility, "I just thought I'd prepare you for the inevitable." With that, she flipped her hair as she turned on her heel and strutted away. Waiting until she was out of sight and earshot, Licorice looked over towards Akiko with concerning eyes.

"Don't listen to her," she consoled, wrapping her arm around her, "She's a liar, always has been. She's just trying to-"

"I know," no matter how hard she tried, Akiko couldn't disguise her upset tone, "it's just... she's just so.."

"No, don't listen to her! I guarantee every word she said was a lie! Better yet, go see Raeger right now. You have to deliver his stuff anyways, but you should see for yourself. That man fell _hard_ for you the first day he set his eyes on you. Trust me, the whole town felt the earth move!"

"What about them?"

"Who?"

"Raeger and Fiona. What.. what was it like for them?"

Licorice grew silent at her question, as she flipped through her memory files until she remembered the day the two got together. She smiled up at her friend.

"It started out slow, she asked him out first. It went strong for a couple of months and then everything fell apart, but it doesn't matter now. That was a long time ago. Besides, I've known Raeger for a long time, and nothing stole his attention quite like you did, believe me."

Her warm, sugary words melted her heart and put a weary smile on her face. Sniffing back the tears, she gave her friend a hug before turning towards her again.

"That reminds me," she reached towards the back of her cart and pulled out the small container of strawberries, handing them over to Licorice, "take these."

"What? Really?" the gesture brightened up her face; she loved strawberries.

"Yes, as a thanks for helping me bring all of this down here. I want you to take them and visit Nadi."

"Huh? Now?!"

"Yes, now! You're free and you need to see him! Spark the second date, girl! Share them with him!"

Licorice's face turned bright red as she thought of Nadi popping a red, plump strawberry in his mouth, his face lighting up as the flavor took over. The more she thought about it, the more enticing the idea. Her face burning as red as the strawberries she carried in her hands, complemented by a shy smile, as she accepted the fruit from Akiko.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to go now," she spoke softly, "and it would be nice to see him again."

"That's the spirit!" Akiko's smile grew wide. "You better get going before you lose that confidence."

"Yeah, you're right. Oh! You need to get to Raeger's!"

Akiko flinched slightly at the sound of his name, still unsure about Fiona's bluff. Her eyes grew wide with worry and concern as she turned away with a pouty face.

"Why bother? I'm sure he'd rather see little Miss Goldilocks right now than me."

"What?! Don't tell me you believe that crazy- nevermind! You should know better! Now GO!"

"Okay! Okay! I was just kidding!"

* * *

Securing her horse and cart next to a pole, Akiko decided to enter the restaurant first to find Raeger to help her bring his order inside. The cold breeze of the air conditioner felt amazing as it swept against her sweat-drenched face, bringing a comforting smile to her face. Along with the cool air, the noise of the customer's voices soon followed, catching her off guard. She didn't realize that she had arrived right at the lunch rush.

Carefully maneuvering around the tables, she was afraid of accidentally brushing up against someone with her dirty clothes. Passing out "excuse me" and "pardon me" like candy, she finally made it out of the maze of tables and chairs, reaching the kitchen. The sound of sizzling pans and a chopping knife could clearly be heard as she got closer, along with a savory aroma, making her stomach rumble.

Gripping onto her stomach in a poor attempt to silence it, she carefully peeked in through the door and looked around for him, until she finally spotted him in a far corner. Even from afar, she could see that his cheeks were flustered from the heat of the kitchen, but his serious face was too focused on the job at hand to notice. Having a pot of soup and a few pans on the stove as he quickly chopped food on one of the many cutting boards spread out across the large counter, her eyes grew in amazement.

' _He's such a great multi-tasker!_ ' she thought as she stepped further into the kitchen, afraid of breaking his concentration. Mesmerized by his lightning quick hands, she began to get lost in thought, then a quick flash of an image of Fiona and Raeger together ran through her mind. She bit down on her lip to suppress the thought.

"Akiko?"

His voice broke her concentration, snapping her back to reality. Focusing on the view in front of her, he was still at his work station, stir frying vegetables as he stared at her with a smirk on his face. His expression brought a coy smile to her face.

"When did you get here?" he asked, tossing the sizzling veggies, excited to see her. "I didn't even hear you come in."

"Uhm," she couldn't find words, the bad image still floating in her mind, deliberately avoiding direct eye contact with him, "I brought your order of dairy and produce. Where would you like it?"

"Oh! That's great!" his face beamed. "Just give me a few minutes to finish up these orders and I'll help you bring them in."

Before she knew it, he had already plated everything he was cooking and placed it all on a large serving tray. Ducking out of his way as he squeezed passed her, she watched as he effortlessly floated between tables. His movements were so graceful, even when a customer would make a sudden move, such as scoot back their chair, he was able to easily dodge it with a split second of notice.

Finding a bar stool to hold the door open, the two brought in the crates of food and milk, customer's moving their tables to make an easy path to the kitchen. After several trips, the last of the order was finally lifted out of the back of the cart, Raeger pushing the temporary door stopper away with his foot as he followed Akiko back to the kitchen.

Placing the remainder of the milk on the nearest counter, he leaned against the nearest counter, wiping sweat off his brow. As he attempted to catch his breath, his attention was brought to the many refrigerators in the corner of the kitchen where he heard glasses clinking together. Akiko was kneeling in front of an open door, the light shining brightly in her face, busy putting away what belonged, her focus unmatched. Quietly approaching from behind with a gallon of milk in each hand, he watched her silently as her determination brought a small smile to his face.

"You know, you just have to bring me the product," he chuckled as he knelt down next to her, opening up the door of the fridge next her, placing the milk in the correct place according to expiration date. "There's nothing in the sales contract about putting it away for me. Not that I don't appreciate it or anything."

"It's fine," she responded sternly, her focus unbroken. "You have a lot to put away and you have customers waiting for you."

"Yeah, but everyone's fine for a bit."

The next few minutes passed slowly as the food was put away, the frigid air caressing their moist foreheads. Finishing at the same time, the doors were closed and they stood up to face each other. Raeger seemed to finally take notice of her get up with her denim overalls with dirty knees and sweat soaked bandana that covered all but her braided pigtails. Gently grabbing one of the braids, he let it smoothly fall from his grasp.

"It's not often you wear stuff like this," he commented with a smirk. "Aren't you a little too warm?"

"Most of my work clothes are drying out on the line at home," she replied, "and yes, it's very warm, but my work is done for the day." Hesitantly, she looked up at him just as her hair slipped through his fingers, his emerald eyes examining her, the smile never leaving his face.

' _I should just come right out and ask him_ ,' she thought, feeling his eyes on her skin, almost tickling her.

"Have you been, uhm, busy?" she asked, her cheeks turning pink as she kept her eyes affixed to him, her question locking his gaze to hers.

"Yeah, but summer time's always crazy," his answer was so natural and effortless as his shoulders carelessly shrugged, "tomorrow's my day off, though. We should do something."

She didn't want to change the subject, but her courage drained through her feet as she bit her lip, her gaze lowering to the floor. Her fingers had unknowingly begun to fidget with themselves as she struggled to get the question passed her lips. After just a small moment of silence, he could sense something was off.

"Are you okay?" his concerned tone brought beads of tears to her eyes, making her more nervous, she didn't want him to see. She silently shook her head, but he wasn't convinced. "Did something happen?"

She answered with a sudden embrace, her face buried into his chest. He was shocked at the seemingly random gesture, but wrapped his arms tightly around her, planting a kiss atop her head. His comforting warmth settled down her tears as she took a deep breath, her chest trembling as she exhaled.

"What's wrong?" he whispered, resting his cheek on her bandana, rubbing her back softly.

"I just, I just," her stuttering made her lose the strength to ask him. She didn't want to doubt him nor was she about to allow Fiona to wedge any distrust in their relationship. "I just really miss you, that's all."

"Aw, love," his heart melted as he pulled away from her, moving his hands to her shoulders and pulled her into a kiss. The tears that were idling by in the corners of her eyes streamed down her face as she felt his soft lips caress hers, her heart skipping beat. Drawing away from her, he greeted her eyes with a loving smile as his hands softly grasped her face.

"I miss you every moment you're not with me," he whispered, bringing a smile to her face. Then, an idea rose to the top of his mind. "In fact, why don't you spend the night with me?"

"Tonight?" she wasn't expecting him to ask something like that.

"Yeah, tonight. We've both been so busy lately, but we need some quality time together, I'm starting to get Akiko-withdrawals."

"I guess we could tonight, but I need to get a few orders ready for Sakura and Wheat country first thing in the morning. They're due tomorrow."

"So?"

"So, if I stay here tonight, I'll have to get up earlier to get home on time just to come all the way back down here."

"Oh, right. Well, hmmm... how about I come up to your place?"

"What about work? By the time you get cleaned up, it will be late.."

"I'll shut down a little early. It will be worth it to spend as much time with you as possible."

"Are you sure?"

"Damn right! Besides, I'll help you get your orders ready so you can get done faster."

"Really? But I still have-"

Raeger placed a shushing finger up to her lips.

"I know you're busy, and I have no problem helping you out. I want to spend some time with you, no matter how we do so. Is that so bad?" Akiko silently shook her head.

"Then it's settled. I'll see you up at the house later?"

"Plan on seven. We'll have dinner together, too, if that's not too late for you."

" _Seven?!_ But what about customers?"

"I _said_ don't worry about it. Seven?"

Akiko sighed with a smile before answering with, "Sounds like a date. Don't be late now!"

"Never." Placing a hand behind her back and a finger under her chin, he lured her into a deep, passionate kiss, sweeping any doubt under the rug as her heart pounded against her chest. His soft moans tickled the edge of her lips while his tongue tenderly slid against hers. As he pulled away, she softly took hold of his lower lip, letting him tug it free. Her gesture sent his heart aflame, his cheeks burning red, whispering, "Easy now."

"Sorry," her voice a soft, mousy whisper as her lustful eyes drowned in his. "I should let you get back to work now."

"I'll see you tonight," giving her a quick goodbye peck, he swiftly floated out to the tables, checking on drinks and picking up empty plates. She stood in the door frame, out of sight, as she watched him glide across the tile laminate floor, the flame recently sparked in her chest still heating up her body. Suddenly feeling determined, she slipped out through the front door and headed home.

* * *

Peeking around corners of tall hedges and trees, Licorice almost felt like a secret agent as she scoured the grounds of Magaret Farm for Nadi. Unsure of why she was so nervous of getting caught by anyone, the excitement made her more creative with hiding from other personnel. Making her way towards the fruit trees in the back, she stopped and admired them for a moment.

"I had no idea Elise had her own orchard back here," Licorice muttered to herself as she examined every bit the closest tree, from the roots to the tips of the leaves. Happy to see the trees healthy, she turned around to continue her man hunt.

Seemingly wandering around aimlessly, she finally caught Nadi's voice in the distance, giving orders to what sounded like new workers. Peeking around, she finally saw him standing near potted flowers, explaining to his underlings how to plant them near the edge of all the buildings on the property.

She sighed as she watched him from a distance, seeing him again set her mind at ease. As her heart jumped in her rib cage she patiently waited for him to finish. When he finally started to walk away, she caught up to him, calling out to catch his attention.

"Hey!" she shouted, speeding up to catch him, the happiest expression on her face as she closed the gap between them. Knowing the sound of her voice, he turned around to greet her, his eyes wide with shock and concern.

"What are you doing here?" Nadi asked sternly, glancing around to make sure no one saw her. She was a little disappointed at his reaction to seeing her, taking it as displeasing. Her gleeful expression quickly disappeared, now feeling foolish for feeling so excited to see him.

"I, uhm," at a loss for words, she averted her gaze away from his as embarrassment took over, "I just really wanted to see you, that's all."

"Huh?" confused at first, he then took notice to the small container she held in her hands, which were trembling slightly. His face relaxed as he sighed. "Look, you need to be careful. This could be considered trespassing. If you wanted to see me, you should've told me. I could've met you at the front and escorted you so you don't get thrown out."

"Really?" her face lit up, turning back towards him. Nadi sighed again, this time a small smile complementing his face as he nodded. His eyes shifted towards the container again, growing slightly suspicious of it.

"What's in there, anyway?"

"Oh! This? They're just a little treat."

"Treat?"

"You look like you haven't taken a break in a while."

Catching on, his posture became more relaxed, his smile growing wider. Turning around, he headed back towards the orchard, gesturing her to follow. Leading her to a large tree, he sat down at the roots. Inviting her to sit next to him, she opened the plastic container to reveal luscious red strawberries. Daintily picking one up with her fingers, she brought up to his lips and smiled.

"Open wide," she giggled. A little confused at her gestures, he opened his mouth, baring his teeth. Catching her off guard, she burst into laughter, making him nervous. His face made him look like a hungry beast.

"Why are you laughing?" he asked, becoming even more confused.

"I guess you've never really done anything like this, have you?"

"Why? Did I do it wrong?"

"Not really, you just looked like a shark ready to chomp my fingers off!" The image looked ridiculous in his mind, but he managed a small chuckle before swiftly taking the small fruit from her fingers. Shocked, her laughing halted as she stared it in his fingers.

"Alright then, show me how."

Her cheeks burned bright red as she swallowed a hard lump in her throat. Clenching her hands at her knees, she closed her eyes and opened her mouth to an "O" shape. It wasn't long before she felt the cool skin of the berry against her lips, piercing her teeth into it as she grabbed it from him. Opening her eyes as she chewed, feeling the sweet juice fill her mouth, she caught Nadi staring at her, his eyes curious and his cheeks flushed pink.

"I see," he commented, then he closed his eyes and opened his mouth, imitating her. Still working on the current strawberry in her mouth, she picked up another one and carefully plopped it in his mouth. Watching him as he chewed it carefully, he finally opened his eyes.

"Very sweet," he smiled after he swallowed, "thank you for sharing these with me." Smiling back at him, the two continued to share the fruit until they were nearly gone. Although the gesture seemed innocent, he couldn't help but enjoy the activity in a strange way. Looking up, she examined the small streams of sunlight break through the thick leaves of the tree as her hands caressed the cool ground beneath her. Then she heard him yawn.

"It's been long time since I've relaxed like this," he said as he stretched his arms about his head, arching his back.

"I'm glad I was able to help," she replied. She didn't really know what else to say, she was just happy to be around him. Before she could think of anything else, she noticed him position himself so that he was lying on his back, his head resting on her lap. Shocked, she just stared down at him, her face turning bright red as she felt a burning sensation in her stomach.

"If it's all the same to you," his voice was soft and relaxed, his eyes fluttering, "but I wouldn't mind a small nap while you're here." Her cheeks burned as she watched his hands rest on his stomach after removing his bandana so he could feel the summer breeze against his forehead.

"Th-that's fine, but why does it matter if I'm here?"

"Your presence is very soothing to me."

His words were like honey out of his mouth. Her heart leapt as the largest grin she could manage appeared on her face. Happy to see her smile, his heavy eyes closed. Surprised he fell asleep so quickly, she stroked his silky hair, moving the small strands, which were drenched in sweat, out of his face. The feeling of his deep breathing almost matched the breeze as it swept by.

The happiness she felt was a little overbearing as she felt small tears form at the corners of her eyes. She looked up to prevent them from falling on his face and allowed the breeze to dry them up before she had the chance to wipe them away. It was a peculiar feeling to know that she made him this happy; she only wished she could do more. Affixing her gaze back to him, she caressed his clammy cheek with the back of her fingers, her touch gentle to avoid waking him.

Between strokes, she stroked his hair, feeling the sleek strands between her delicate fingers. As she did so, her eyes locked onto his butterscotch colored lips, images of his kiss flashing through her mind. Her hand stopped on the top of his head as her other hand slowly reached for his lips. Her heart beating faster as her anxiety set it. Desperate to remember how soft his lips felt, she delicately stroked his bottom lip with her middle finger. Just as goosebumps ran through her entire body, his hand quickly took a hold of hers as his eyes shot open, already affixed to hers.

Gasping as her heart stopped in her chest, he sat up and used to free hand to support himself he locked his lips against hers, literally stealing her breath away. Her body went cold as she struggled to think of what just happened, what is happening now, and what to do next; it all happened so fast. Pulling away from her for a small moment, she felt his hot breath against her trembling lips, melting her back to the now before finding her lips again. His hand which held hers tightened slightly, as if beckoning for a reaction.

The second time his lips came into contact with hers, a small moan escaped her lips, feeling her insides burning like fire. Unusual, foreign thoughts ran through her imagination with each movement of his mouth, images like him removing his shirt in a dark room. It set her entire being on aflame, but the next thing she knew, he was pulling away from her, his fiery red eyes piercing hers.

"Did you miss me that much?" his husky voice was overpowering as he took a hold of her chin, stroking the lips he teased. Turning her face away from his, she freed herself from his grip.

"I'm sorry!" she spoke, trying to keep her voice from trembling. Her reaction shocked him, but he pulled her face back to his, his expression as stern as ever.

"Don't be," he whispered. Her eyes got a little wide as her thoughts kept rolling.

"Does... does this mean you missed me, too?"

His eyes turned away as he groaned, his cheeks turning pink. He didn't like to admit such things about anyone, but he was glad she said it, not him, but in case she didn't get the message clearly, he slightly nodded his head before getting himself back on his feet, wrapping his bandana around his head, offering her his hand.

"I'm sorry that I've been busy," he said, pulling her up, "but I don't know when you get home, otherwise-"

"Then I'll make sure to knock and see you," she interrupted cheerfully, her face beaming and her chest pounding.

"Sure," he chuckled slightly, "but first, how about another date?"

"What do think this was?"

"Huh? You considered _this_ a date?"

"Well, why not? It was just as romantic."

"I guess, but-"

"But what?"

"Fine, let's consider this a date. Now that that's out of the way, how does _another_ date sound?"

"Sounds great to me. Just drop me a note." With that, she winked at him, then turned on her heel and began to head back out, trying to leave him in some sort of suspense. Turning back to wave good-bye, he had a sweet smirk on his face as he gave her a single wave before heading in a different direction to get back to work.

* * *

Back at the farm...

Akiko had already cleaned up from the day's work, changing her clothes into a casual blue blouse and a matching skirt, which she covered with a yellow flowery apron. She was busy running around in the kitchen, trying to get dinner ready before Raeger arrived. Glancing at the clock every few minutes, she started throwing ingredients together, having only about an hour to have it ready on the table. The thought of seeing his face when he saw dinner ready on the table as he walked through the door made her smile with glee.

Just as she placed the chicken in the hot pan, she heard her door open. Glancing over, she saw Raeger waltz in with a sack which he tossed across the floor. Shocked, she glanced at the clock before turning back to him. It was only 6:43 p.m. and dinner wasn't close to ready yet.

"Raeger?" she called out to him from the kitchen, keeping a close eye on the chicken and the rice which was in the pot next to it. "Why are you here so early?"

"I wanted to surprise you," he answered, as he leaned against the counter behind her, observing her as she turned the meat over, "need some help with dinner?"

"Well, you ruined _your_ surprise," she responded a little coldly, "and no, I don't need help." Then, she froze, realizing how harsh she might've just sounded. Putting down her utensils, she turned to face him as she wiped her hands with the edge of her apron. "I'm sorry, I was just hoping to surprise you with dinner. You always cook for me, even on days you work. I wanted to return the favor and make you happy."

Pushing himself off the counter, he approached him a smile on his face and grabbed her hand from her apron. Leaning forward, he pressed his forehead against hers. She could feel the heat from his skin, which was still hot and moist from walking in the hot summer sun. Closing her eyes, she could feel a calming sensation flow through her body, from the point of contact on her forehead to the very tips of her toes. Opening her eyes when she felt him pull away, she felt him give a small squeeze to her hands.

"There's no need to get worked up," he whispered, his smile never leaving his face, "I'm happy to know that you go through all this just to surprise me, and believe me, I am. I would've been just as happy if we made dinner together like we usually do."

Before she could respond, she quickly turned around to stir the rice and turned the chicken once again. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him get the dinnerware from the cupboards and pour them both a drink in a couple of glasses before heading over to the table. Plating each dish, she served it to him at the table before grabbing her own. When she came back, he was already digging into his food.

' _He must be starving!_ ' she thought. ' _I wish he would eat more when he's working, I don't care how busy he gets..._ '

"This is delicious!" his face beamed, his mouth full of food, his plate already half gone.

"Are you sure you tasted it?" she asked with a nervous chuckle, making the first cut into her chicken.

"Of course I did!" he seemed almost put off by her question. "I am a professional chef! I take food very, very seriously."

"Is that why there's bits of rice all over your mouth?"

"What? Oh!"

"Hahaha!"

The couple laughed as they finished their dinner, Raeger eating it slower just so they finished together. Without giving her the chance to even stand up, he swooped up all the dishes and headed over to the sink. Chasing after him, he insisted that he at least clean up, but she refused to let his hands touch any dishwater. Hip-bumping him out of the way, she started to clean the dishes, splashing water at him each time he tried to interfere.

"Alright, alright!" he laughed, his shirt drenched in soapy water. "I give, you win!"

"Thought so!" Akiko declared in triumph as she finished up the remaining dishes. After a few minutes, she began to grow suspicious of the newfound silence. Draining the sink and hanging up her apron, she glanced around only to find him over by the bed, emptying the contents of his bag. Closing the distance between them, she quietly came up to the foot of her bed, eyeing his fresh clothes and other contents spread on the bed. Walking around to her nightstand, she took out her braids, the strands falling apart smoothly.

"Sorry about the mess," his voice finally broke the silence, inviting her to face him, his attention still on the contents spread across the sheets, "I just threw everything in and what I needed was at the bottom." She glanced at the clean clothes he held in his hand, most likely his night wear. Her eyes traveled to see his red tie, loosely hanging around his neck until he grabbed on end and pulled it off. The quick motion broke her strance-like state, allowing her to notice he was gazing at her with a lustful smirk.

"Why so quiet?" his voice got slightly deeper and quiet as he waited for a response. She bit her lip as she averted her eyes towards the bag again, tucking a few strands of her hair behind her hair, trying not to forget the questions she needed answers for. The question of Fiona was like a bubble, constantly rising to the top of her mind and popping away before anything could get resolved.

' _I can't keep avoiding this_ ,' she thought, nearly forgetting that he was standing so close to her, ' _but if I do, then..._ '

Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt her body suddenly fall into his, feeling something firmly around her waist. Looking down, she saw the red tie holding her to him. He had used it like a lasso, catching her with it and pulling her towards him. Bringing her hands up to his chest, she felt the coolness of his wet shirt beneath her fingertips as she glanced back up to his face. His alluring eyes demanded her attention, his lustful smirk remained.

"Now that I have your attention," his tone has a serious, but husky tone to it, keeping her attention as his face inched closer to hers, "why don't you tell me what keeps distracting you so much today?"

Speechless by his actions, she opened her mouth, but words failed to come out as her eyes remained connected with his as her chest pressed against him, her blouse soaking in some of the water. The fire sparked from earlier that day began to flare up again as she felt his body heat transfer to her. The silence began to grow again, and it worried her.

"You should take a shower," she said the first thing that came to mind that didn't have to deal with Fiona. His expression quickly changed, confused by her random suggestion as his lasso loosened around her. "I'm sure the walk up here was more than blistering. A shower will feel nice."

"I see," he responded, the smirk quickly returning, "why don't you join me?"

"What?!" Her face turned bright red. Secretly, it was her fantasy to shower with him; she often imagined the feeling of their wet, soapy bodies sliding together, tasting the hot shower as they would lap up the water off each other. The very thought made her legs tremble. "U-uhm, no thank you! I've already-"

Her stuttering was interrupted by his chuckles as he slowly made his way towards the bathroom.

"You're so cute when you're nervous like that," he called back before shutting the door behind him. A moment later, the shower was turned on and soon steam began to appear from the opening beneath the door.

A huge relief filled her as she took a deep breath, allowing her a few more moments to gather her thoughts. She had to settle this matter today, there was no option. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, in fact it was the opposite. She was enforcing the practice of being more open with him; no more hiding anything, even if that thing was something bothering one of them. The never-ending questions ran through her mind as she changed into a spaghetti strap tank top for her night wear; it was too hot for any shorts, so she remained in her panties. To pass more time, she started gathering up his things off the bed and neatly placing them back into his bag, seeming to finish as soon as he was done showering.

Walking out of the bathroom in just a pair of light boxers, his hair still dripping wet, he approached her as she set the bag down near the floor, the scent of his freshly washed body filled her nose, making her smile.

"Feel all clean?" she asked quietly. With a simply nod, he took a spot on the bed and pulled her closer to him. As she was still standing, it was unusual to actually be looking down on him instead of the other way around. Her hands resting on his moist shoulders, a few drops from his hair occasionally fell on her hands. His arms tightly locked around her, he wasn't going to let her go anytime soon.

"Akiko," his face suddenly turned serious as he looked up to her, his tone sending fear through her body, "stop trying to hide it."

"What are you talking about?" she wasn't fooling him, or even herself. She knew he could see it.

"Something's been eating at you, don't even try to lie. You've been distracted all day. Now, tell me." His eyes pierced hers, locking her into a gaze. He could feel her hands become tense as they rested upon his shoulders. Never breaking away from her eyes, the ones he loved so much, he watched her take in a deep, shaky breath.

"Be honest with me," her voice was steady and demanding, an uncommon thing for her.

"Always, love."

"Are you still in love with Fiona?" The question was so shocking, his face turned in a revolting way, almost insulted by the question. His hold on her loosened.

"What?! Of course not, why would I ever-"

"Does she come see you at night at the restaurant?" Her tone was still calm and steady.

"Yeah, but she doesn't stay long before I boot her out. I don't want to hear any of her nonsense so I tell her to leave as soon as she enters the door!"

"I see..."

"Why are even asking these ridiculous questions?"

"Well... she said she was-"

"Stop."

Raeger stopped Akiko dead in her tracks. He stood up from the bed, grabbing her hands in his as they slid off from his shoulders. Feeling slightly intimidated, she failed to get any words out from her mouth, silently watching him, trying to anticipate his next move. She feared that she had just started another bad fight.

"Akiko," his tone was so gentle, it almost tickled her ears, "don't listen to a thing that deceiving girl says to you. Ever. Nothing that ever comes out of her mouth is true." A soothing grin appeared on his face as he witnessed tiny beads of tears form at the corners of her eyes. Taking her face in his hands, he used his thumbs to carefully push them away. "I love you, my sweet Akiko."

"I love you, too, Raeger," she giggled, holding his hands which cupped her face. She felt the weight of the world fly free from her shoulders, sending out waves of pure joy throughout her body. As gently as he could, he slid his hands from her face down to her neck, from there, her shoulders. The edge of his fingers grabbed the straps of her shirt, sliding them off her shoulders as his arms went down her arms, which were cold to the touch.

"Rae- ah!" her words were cut off by the sudden sensation of his lips against her collarbone. Her small moans filled the air as his lips grew tighter on her skin, his arms pulling her close to him. Pulling away after a few moments, she looked down to see a large red mark just above her breast. Glancing back to him, he had a satisfied smirk on his face, which, for some reason, bothered her.

"Don't look so mad," he commented, slightly chuckling at her annoyed face, "I just love hearing you moan like that. Gets me excited."

"Oh, really?" she responded, still annoyed, but then her eyes seemed lustful and playful. "I like hearing you moan, too."

"Huh- oomph!" Throwing herself on him, he landed on his back as he hit the bed, tightly holding her to save her from the fall. Taking the opportunity, she straddled his lap and pinned her hands on either side of his torso. They both knew she didn't have the strength to pin him down, but the idea was enticing. Gifting him with her own lustful smile, she sent pleasurable chills down his spine before lowering her face to his neck. Just under his ear, beneath the line of his jawbone, she place her lips against his skin, kissing it softly, moaning quietly in his ear. She could feel his legs tense up beneath her.

"Now you're just being a tease," his husky voice sounded much deeper so close. He kept his hands above his head, keeping up the ruse that she had the upper hand against him. He felt her lips travel up to his ear before nibbling his earlobe gently.

"Who says you get all the fun?" she hoarsely whispered before going back to her gentle kiss. The goosebumps, which suddenly ran all over his body, could be felt with each press of her lips. Going back to the spot under his ear, near his jaw, he could feel her lips get tight, his skin pinching in that very spot.

"Aaah!" his moan excited her, his back arching his body into her. It wasn't often she got to play this role, and she loved it, understanding more and more why he loved doing it to her so much. Finally releasing his skin from her grasp, she examined the red mark she had left behind. Sitting up, she ran her eyes over him. Panting heavily, she could feel the bulge she was resting on grow larger with each breath.

"Does it look as good as mine?" he asked, turning his head to give her a better view. Biting her lip, she shook her head, stroking her fingers against his chest. "Didn't think so."

Sitting up, he wrapped his arms around her and flipped them around. Laughing the entire time, she couldn't help but love being beneath him than the other way around. Feeling his strong hands run up her sides, pulling the top off as he did so, she was excited to see how much he missed her. His hungry eyes kept a lock on her as he pulled down her panties with his teeth, delicately pulling them smoothly down to her ankles, allowing her to kick them off. In one quick motion, he removed his boxers, to be fair, of course.

Returning to the bed, he began to massage her breast with one hand as his mouth found hers, their tongues passionately rubbing together, his hand hand traveling down to excite her even more. His body still contained the heat of the shower, sharing it with her as he moved against her.

"R-Raeger," she panted between kisses, his teasing finger sending jolts of pleasure through her body.

"Yes?" he answered, sharing her panting breaths as he felt her warm hand travel to his pelvis.

"Make love to me, my darling." She could feel his smile against their lips, a small chuckle breaking through his deep breaths.

"That was the plan."

* * *

 _The small room was dark, but humid with the smell of sweat and perfume. Silence broken by heavy, uneven breaths, accompanied by the occasional moan of sweet pleasure. Having her pinned against the dark wood of the wall made her ivory skin shine much brighter as the moonlight beamed blindingly through the window. Her dark, wavy hair bounced on her shoulders with each thrust of his hips into hers._

 _Grabbing onto his shouldering to support herself, she loved the feeling of his hands firmly holding her at the waist to keep her up against the wall. His hungry tongue quickly finding its way to hers each time they lost one another, he loved the tickling feeling he felt with each moan of each kiss. Each time their lips parted, even for a moment, her eyes would open to reveal their beautiful pale, jade color searching for his striking red eyes._

 _"Don't stop," she panted, followed by a loud moan, "Oh, oh, Nadi!"_

Nadi's eyes shot open, quickly sitting up to absorb his surroundings. His dark room only revealed a few articles of clothing, scattered across the furniture and floor. Concluding that what was just happening was a dream, he wiped the sweat from his brow, his heart rapidly racing in his chest. The desire to see her was great, but he knew he couldn't. It was the middle of the night, and she was probably fast asleep; he didn't want to disturb her.

Dropping back on his mattress, he felt the cool dampness hit his back from the sweat. His eyes fluttered close as he tried to push her out of his mind, but the thought of running the tip of the strawberries she shared earlier along the line of her peachy lips made his heart beat faster. He licked his lips as he remembered the taste of her cool tongue, sweet like the red fruit she just ate.

Covering his eyes with his forearm, he practically forced himself to sleep before three little words slipped through his lips and disappearing in the silence of the night.

"I want you."


	25. Sweat and Lemonade

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Sweat and Lemonade  
**

"Raeger..."

Fluttering into consciousness, the smooth scent of lavender filled Raeger's nose as his lungs expanded. With half his face buried in the pillow, his vision was limited, allowing him to only get a quick glimpse of his surroundings, which were too dim for him to process. Letting out a small grunt, sleep pulled him back into darkness.

Then, a warm hand grabbed his shoulder, shaking him back to life, followed by an angelic tone whispering his name, sweeter than sugar.

"Raeger."

Lifting up his head from the pillow, realizing the voice belonged to his darling love, Akiko, he sleepily gazed into her bright face. Seeing his eyes finally finding hers, she smiled and giggled quietly, stroking his messy hair with her fingertips.

"Good morning, sleepy-head," her voice was soft to accommodate his weariness, "It's time to get up and get to work." His eyes still focusing, he examined the window across the room behind her, noticing the sky was still black, a few visible stars struggling to stay lit. He groaned as he rolled to the edge of the bed, suddenly remembering his promise to help her get the orders prepared and down to the trade depot. Letting out a loud yawn, he swung his legs over the bed, his feet touching the wood of the floor.

Pulling up his pants to his waist, he noticed her float around in the kitchen, fixing up a quick breakfast to get them started, already dressed in a light colored dress decorated with bows and ribbons along the edges of her back like a corset. Her chocolate hair flowed down her back and over her shoulders like a waterfall, shining in what little light was in the room.

 _'I didn't think she got up this early,'_ the little voice in his head even sounded stale. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a plain-jane t-shirt to work in over his head as he headed over to the kitchen. Carefully leaning against her from behind, careful not to overwhelm her with weight, he rested his chin on her soft hair. As the sweet smell of her hair and freshly made waffles wafted into his nostrils, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, holding her close to his chest.

"Do you always get up before dawn?" he yawned, carefully moving with her as she traveled to the table with a plate of food in each hand.

"It really depends on how much I need to get ready," she responded, placing the meals on the wooden table, helping him to his seat by softly shrugging him off her, "and today, I have a LOT to get down to the depot! I'm really glad you're helping me out. You sure you don't mind?" Sitting down next to him with a big beaming smile shot a little energy into him, the smile he could never resist. Cutting into the maple-soaked waffled, he returned her big smile with a gentle one.

"Not at all," he responded, sliding food into his mouth.

Heading outside after they cleaned up after breakfast, Akiko asked Raeger to get the horse ready with the cart as she got the produce ready to go. Feeling much more energetic after getting some food in his belly, he took it one step further and fed all the animals as well. Most of them were a still a little unfamiliar with him, so they fled at the sight of him. The only one staying near him was the horse, who followed him like a lost puppy, making it a breeze to strap him to cart, empty and ready for lots of cargo.

Buckling in the last strap to the horse, he felt a gently breeze tussle his hair, making him glance up at the sky, now seeping with splashes of orange. The morning sun had yet to peek over the mountaintop, making the air nice and cool to prepare in. Leading the horse over to the fields, he began to load the wooden box crates she had already loaded full of crops until there were none left. Observing her for only a moment to see how she was doing it so quickly, he took a bunch of empty crates to the row behind her and started getting more ready for transport.

Taking notice of his ambition, Akiko skipped over to him with a clipboard full of papers and explained to him which crops she need to which orders and how many. Pointing over to the crates, he noticed certain stickers across the top board, depicting the same logos at the trade depot. Understanding fully how it worked, she handed a few orders to work with on his own while she stayed in the current field to finish what she needed for her share.

This split of the work made it go faster and smoother, but nearing the end, Raeger began to get a little winded. He really admired how far she has gotten since she first came here. Though she seemed like a delicate woman, she had developed an outstanding stamina and strength to be able to do it all within a timely manner. By the time he had finished what few orders he had received, she was able to complete nearly double what she had given him without breaking a sweat.

Triple checking all her orders, the clipboard firmly in hand, Raeger took this opportunity to take a quick rest leaning against the cart, feeling the now morning sun beat against his brow, enjoying the cool morning breeze before it transformed into the devil's breath. Still watching her as her pen scribbled against the paper, a smile appeared on his lips. Her fair skin began to glow as the warming sunlight caressed her face as her eyes grew brighter. Moments like this made his heart leap in chest as he sighed heavenly.

"Wow!" Akiko exclaimed as she signed off on the last paper, turning over to Raeger with stars in her eyes. "Your help has made this effortless! Thank you!"

 _'Effortless?!'_ his eye winced slightly at her choice of words, but before he could respond, her excitement got the better of her as she started climbing aboard the cart, grabbing the reigns. Realizing that was she going to go whether he was on the cart or not, he quickly scrambled up the side, taking his seat next to her just as she set the cart forward. After getting situated in his seat, he glanced over at her glowing face, her smile brighter than ever. _'She sure is happy considering she nearly left me in the dust!'_

The breath of mountain air which caressed their cheeks allowed him to unwind as he put his hands behind his head and enjoyed the ride to town. Glancing over at her, her unmatched focus on the road, he saw the determination her eyes, reminding him of how he gets when he cooks for a busy crowd. Unbreakable concentration and over-bearing excitement took over during lunch and dinner rush, making his work look easy to others.

"Is it always like this?" Raeger's voice broke the morning stillness of the forest, keeping his eyes forward. "With work, I mean."

"More of less," Akiko responded, letting out a breath of air as her body became more relaxed, "Summer's always a busy time, especially with all the vendors swarming the trade depot near the end of the season. They want to get as much as they can before the summer storms start to kick off the beginning of autumn."

"Yeah, I know. I just can't believe how much you have to do before you even leave the farm. It was difficult for me to keep up with you."

"Well, I can't say it was easy at first. I cried the first couple busy days I had about a year ago, but I just learned to manage it a little better, so now, it's really not so bad."

"That's amazing considering you do it solo."

"Now you know how I feel about you, when I work with you."

"Huh, what do you mean?" Her remark compelled him to turn his gaze towards her, baffled by her comment. He honestly felt that his line of work was relatively easy.

"I mean, when I help you out in the kitchen, or even just watch you, I can't believe how much you can manage on your own. You're like a cooking machine, and I can barely get one side dish done while you're plating five different meals. It made me feel like I wasn't good enough to work next to you."

Bemused, he continued to steadily gaze at her as the cart made a turn onto the stone bridge over the river. He never realized he made her feel so small when it came to cooking, however, he never felt overshadowed when it came down to manual labor. An ironic grin spread across his face as he faced the road once again.

"Well, I can definitely say I appreciate what you do," he chuckled, "There's no way I could ever out-farm you!"

"' _Out-farm_?'" Akiko returned his chuckle, then returned his corny joke, "Just like I can never _out-chef_ you?"

"That's not even a proper term!"

"And 'out-farm' is better?"

"No, but out- _horse_ is!" He reached over and grabbed the reigns from her hands, tugging on them just enough to make the horse go faster.

"Raeger, wait!" she shouted with concern, trying to take control again, but he kept the reigns far from her reach. He ignored her tone and guffawed at the sudden excitement, all the way into town. Terrified as the cart bounced all over the road, she held onto the side in fear of flying off at the next turn.

* * *

"Thanks again for letting me have access to your flowers, Giorgio! You have no idea how important this contribution is to me!"

"It's no trouble at all, Rish, really. All of your breathtaking research has assisted Rose Wood Farm for the better. You're always welcome here. Now, if you'll excuse me." With that, the blonde haired swoon left Licorice be with her research on that warm summer morning. As she turned around to drown in the sea of flowers, she could hear him from a distance greeting potential customers who had arrived as tourists to see his high-class well-known collection of exotic flowers and other shrubbery.

Each breeze that tickled the flowers made the colors of the rainbow dance as their exotic aromas blended together to produce a perfume-like mist, enveloping her entirely. Her trips to Rose Wood Farm were like walking through a fairy tale forest, seeing flowers never before seen by her own eyes, half-expecting little fairies to be flying around. Nearly every time she came back, there were new flowers to study and explore.

On this day, she was taking samples of the new arrivals and some of the ones she couldn't get to before. Jotting down notes in her binder as she placed leaves and petals inside their own designated flasks, she began to feel excitement with the scratches of her pen. Her research was nearly complete, almost ready to be sent to pharmaceutical companies for evaluation. If it were to be accepted, it would change her life!

Then, a shadow consumed her sunlight. Looking over her shoulder, she jumped a little at the sight of Kamil hovering over her with an amused smirk. Being so focused on her work, she didn't even realize how long he had been standing there. Tripping over her supplies, she fell onto the soft green grass, nearly breaking a few of her samples in flasks.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Kamil chuckled nervously, never expecting to catch her off guard, offering his hand to help her up, "I really didn't mean to startle you and I certainly didn't intend to make you fall, I just wasn't sure if it was really you. I never see you here, so I came over to investigate for myself."

"It's been a while since I've visited," Licorice responded, reluctantly taking his hand, disgruntled that some of her work was nearly wasted, "what are you doing here?"

"Are you crazy?" he snickered. "Giorgio's flowers are the only ones I use for anything. I'm known for my top quality work, so only top quality specimens will do. How about yourself?"

"Oh, you know," her eyes rolled slightly as she was hesitant to even explain herself, assuming that being neighbors for so long, he would be able to put two and two together, however, she did feel foolish for asking a flower arranger what his business was in a flower garden, therefore she felt obligated, "just adding more notes to my research. The foreign plants Giorgio grow here broaden the spectrum."

"Broadening the spectrum, eh? That's a very unique way to put it, but I agree. My customers are always amazed with my work with these flowers, keeping them coming back for more. You could say, this place keeps me in business."

Feeling as though the conversation couldn't get anymore interesting, Licorice decided now was a good time to end it and get back to work before morning became too hot to bare. She also didn't want to lose track of where she was with her notes.

"Right, anyways, I should definitely get back to-" she started to turn and walk off in the other direction, securing her break away.

"How was your date with Nadi the other night? I do hope it went well."

Her eyes widened in disbelief as her legs froze, her head whipping around back to him. A bead of sweat slid down her face as she gazed at his teasing smirk.

"H-how did you know about that?" she demanded, thinking that she had kept the date private from the entire town.

"Where do you think he got those nice clothes?" giggling innocently as he revealed Nadi's own little secret. "He really wanted to look nice for you, so he asked me for a small favor. It was no big deal, really. I was happy to help."

Licorice's face flushed pink as her fingers clutched the edges of her binder, pulling it closer to her pounding chest. Memories of that night flooded to her mind, making her heat dance until the tips of her ears felt hot. Even now, she longed to be next to him or in his arms.

 _'He wanted to look nice... for me?'_

"Wow," her voice was a soft murmur as she turned her face away, embarrassed, "well, thank you for doing such a nice thing. I didn't think you'd ever really do that..."

Kamil's playful and happy expression suddenly turned puzzled as he raised a questioning brow. Before he had a chance to respond to her odd remark, she continued.

"I wasn't exactly the nicest person to you," her embarrassment became shame, "when you were constantly fawning over Akiko, it drove me crazy, and yet you still-"

"Those weren't my best moments, either," he interrupted abruptly with a serious tone, completely changing the mood, "Your actions were completely understandable, so there's no need to apologize. You were just being a good friend to her, something I could never hope to be."

"You had every chance to be, but you just couldn't understand that she wasn't in love with you. That made it difficult for her to even be around you."

"It's been hard on me, too. I want to be her friend, I really do, but I don't think I can yet. So, until then, I'll just do what I can for her from afar for now.."

The sounds of the rustling plantation and distant calls of wildlife couldn't break the awkward silence that followed his statements. Neither knew what to say next as they stood there, avoiding eye contact with one another.

"Kamil," Licorice's stern voice broke through, getting his full attention, "you still have feelings for Akiko, don't you?"

"I'm in a relationship with Elise now," he responded, playing off a seemingly forced smile. "She's been really great to me, and I'm thankful that she's an important part of my life now."

"That's great and I'm glad you're happy, but you avoided my question..."

* * *

At the Trade Depot...

Akiko and Raeger were exiting the Trade Depot after an eventful day of delivering every order to every vendor, the heat of the early-afternoon sun beating down on them. They arrived with a full cart of produce and were now leaving with a cart full of supplies. Still overwhelmed with the excitement of the day, Raeger was relaxing in the back, lounged out over a few sacks of seeds for comfort with a wet towel over his face to protect it from sunburn.

"I can't thank you enough for your help!" Akiko called back as she steered the reigns in the direction of the mountain trail. "This was probably the busiest day I've had all year and you've made it easier to bear."

"Yeah, no problem," Raeger attempted to hide the weariness in his voice, "but did your busiest day also have to be the hottest?"

"I'm really sorry about that... I know! I have homemade lavender lemonade chilling in the fridge back at home. That should help!"

"Mmmm, that sounds refreshingly delicious..."

Smiling at his response to the suggestion, she turned back to the road, recalling the recipe for the refreshment in her mind as the cart passed over the stone bridge, knowing that the entire pitcher will be empty after he got to it. Just as they turned the corner, they began to pass by Rosewood Farm, noticing Kamil starting to leave with Licorice close behind him. Puzzled by the odd pair, she brought the cart to a halt.

"What the-!" Raeger shouted as he unexpectedly shifted around the back, ruining his comfort. Steadying himself, he grabbed on the outside of the cart to pull himself up to ascertain the reason for the sudden stop, looking to Akiko, concerned that they had crashed. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"Sorry!" she apologized, "I just.. didn't know how to react."

"React to what?" Observing their surroundings, he noticed the odd pair walking out of the flower plantation, nearly side by side. Taken aback by the sight, he shook his head before widening his eyes to assure the sight wasn't false. As he did so, Akiko hopped out of the cart and walked over to them, smiling brightly as she normally did to hide any suspicion she felt.

"Licorice!" she shouted, waving out to her, catching the two off guard. Surprised at first, Licorice glanced over at Kamil with a questioning glare before turning it into a smile as she walked over to meet her friend half way.

"Akiko, how are you?" her greeting hid any uneasy feeling with ease, matching Akiko's smile. "I didn't think you'd finish your orders so quickly! I thought you were booked solid!" Just as she made the statement, she noticed Raeger approaching from the cart.

"I had an amazing helper today," Akiko smiled up at Raeger as he appeared at her side, wrapping his arm around her waist and subtly pulling her close to him in defense to Kamil's presence. "Without him, I'd still be there baking to a crisp!"

"We can't have that!" Raeger joked as he pressed his cheek against the top of her hair in a sort of half hug. The two girls giggled, but Kamil stood there silently, avoiding any eye contact with any of them.

"It's been a while since I've seen you, Kamil" Akiko stated calmly, taking notice to his standoffish attitude. "How have you been? I hope-"

"I've been fine," Kamil responded harshly, making brief eye contact before turning his attention to Licorice, "I should get going."

"Oh, right, see you," Licorice made her goodbye quick, glancing over at Akiko who was astonished at the strange behavior as she watched Kamil leave so swiftly. Raeger, on the other hand, could care less.

"Did I... say something wrong?" Akiko turned to Licorice for answers as confusion set in deeper.

"No, not at all," she sighed, "he was just upset that, uh, the flowers he needed weren't quite ready yet."

"Oh, I see.. well, how's the research going?"

The subject quickly changed, taking a huge stress off Licorice's chest. She didn't want to remain on the subject of Kamil with Raeger around; it made her nervous as she wanted to avoid any sort of conflict. Taking advantage of the newly lightened mood, she discussed her excitement with her friends. All that was left to do was put all her notes together professionally and start sending them major corporations. Akiko returned the happy mood as she defined the satisfaction of the vendors, all of which was made a smooth process with her special helper.

"We should get going," Akiko sighed as she looked up at Raeger. Though he was wearing a smile, she could see the fatigue in his eyes as he gazed down at her, his arm still wrapped loosely around her. "I don't want to hold you up from your work, either."

"Right, I need to be heading back, too," Licorice sighed heavily, wiping away the sweat from her brow, "I'll see you around!"

Gleefully hopping back into the cart with the seeds, Raeger was excited to be heading back up to the farm to get his promised lemonade. Giggling at his silliness, Akiko steered the cart back up the mountain.

"Onward, faithful steed!" he shouted with a ridiculous accent. "My beverage awaits!"

The couple made silly jokes in foreign accents about beverages and other refreshments as they approached the farm. Once they had arrived, Raeger helped take the empty wooden crates out from the back while Akiko unlatched her horse and led him inside the barn, taking the opportunity to visit with her other animals for a few moments.

As she walked outside, she left the barn doors open; it was such a beautiful day, it would be shame to keep them locked up. The bunnies ran around her legs before hiding in the tall grass as the chickens were quick to pick out any small seeds hiding in the dirt. The cow and sheep mixed in their herds, quietly grazing away. The sight was peaceful, bringing a soft sigh to escape her lips.

Shutting the wooden gate behind her, she looked around for Raeger, but saw no sign of him. The wooden crates were neatly stacked against the side of the barn along with the large wooden cart. Assuming that he had gone inside to rest, she made her way towards her house, secretly hoping that he didn't consume all the lemonade before she had any.

Carefully opening up the heavy oak door, she took a quick glance around and spotted him resting up against the counter, the pitcher of lemonade resting on the table with a poured glass adjacent to it. He didn't have a chance to respond to her as he was preoccupied chugging down a full glass.

"Aaaah!" he exulted, throwing his head back, the cold mixture of lemons, water, and lavender drizzling down to his stomach. "That really hit the spot!"

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," she giggled, picking up her glass which was now covered by condensation and taking small sips as she watched him head over to the pitcher, pouring himself another full glass, "I got the recipe from Eda. It's perfect so exhausting summer days like this."

"I'd say! You might have to make a huge batch for me to take home."

"You want to put it on your menu? It'd sell out fast!"

"Huh? No way, I can't share all the good stuff!"

"You're so silly!"

The two drank until the pitcher was nearing empty. Cooled off, he wandered over to the couch and plopped his weary body onto the plush cushions, his head flopped back against the top with his arms sprawled out, allowing him to become more relaxed. Cautiously approaching him from behind the couch in fear of disturbing his tranquility, she stood above him with her hands resting on the couch on either side of his head. Reacting to the movement of her hands, he opened his eyes to find her looking down at him with a gentle grin. Matching her smile, he gazed up into her eyes and started to become lost in them.

"I know I've said it a thousand times today," her voice was soft to match the relaxing atmosphere, moving sweat-drenched strands of his hair out of his face, "but I really can't thank you enough for your help today, Raeger. It means the world to me."

His name tasted like honey as it passed her lips, the angelic tone of her voice giving him goosebumps, gazing deeper into her sparkling eyes. Leaning over to kiss his forehead, her dainty fingers stroked his neck, feeling his clammy skin. The sensation of her touch sent waves of pleasure through his body. Pushing his head up slightly, he reached behind him to the back of her head and pulled her down a little farther, catching her lips in his. The edge of her chin grazing against his nose as their tongues danced with each other momentarily. Her small moans excited him more, entangling his fingers in her hair, still warm from basking in the sun.

"You work very hard," he whispered as she pulled away, gently tugging her lip before leaving their kiss completely, "and you always lend me a hand when I'm working. I don't mind at all... But..."

"But?" she stood up a little straighter, distancing her face from his as her hands ran down his neck to his shoulders, the smile never leaving her face.

"We need a break," a wide grin appeared across his face as he gazed up at her, examining her now confused expression.

"What do you mean?" she carefully watched him get up off the couch and stretch his arms.

"I mean, we need to relax. Let me treat you to a grand dinner tonight."

"Oh, I see. That sounds great! I love our dinners together! Do you want to eat here or at your house? I have plenty of vegetables, so a side dish would be pretty easy-"

"Akiko, that's not exactly what I meant."

Confused once again, she stared at him as he walked around the couch and took her hands in his, gazing into her eyes as if penetrating to her soul, his handsome smirk remained on his face. Not knowing how to respond to him, her hands tightened in his grip as she awaited an explanation. Growing nervous, she swallowed a lump in her throat, never breaking her gaze.

"Uhm," the mousy noise wasn't even a word as she opened her mouth; no matter how comfortable she felt around him, there were still times that he intimidated her a little, just enough to make her feel as though he could easily overpower her. Although that thought was often arousing, it was also terrifying. He knew she felt this way about him, too, so whenever he would see her back down as she just, he took advantage of the situation to tease her. In an attempt to do so, he leaned forward to whisper in her ear.

"I mean, let's go out for dinner," Raeger's husky tone sent a chill down her spine as his breath tickled the skin of her neck, sending her heart ablaze.

"Out? You mean, _out-out_? As in-"

"As in, I'm taking you _out-out_ to a nice dinner in the city tonight."

"What?!" Akiko gasped, taking a step away from him, his grasp on her hands still firm as to prevent her from fleeing. She had never been on a 'fancy' dinner date before. Truth be told, she didn't feel deserving of such an exquisite luxury, even from him. A million and one thoughts began racing around her mind, spurts of sentences escaping her mouth to counteract his proposed date. "But what if- I don't know if I have- you don't need- we could just-"

Stopping the overflow of words from her mouth with a gentle finger to her lips, Raeger chuckled at her sudden anxiety, wrapping his other hand around waist, pulling her close to him. His eyelids lowered as his smirk grew, never breaking away from her eyes to observe her reactions.

"C'mon," Raeger beckoned, slowly spinning themselves around as if they were dancing, "we never been out like that before, and it's going to be a perfect weather tonight."

"I know," she averted her gaze to floor, assuring that their small dance wouldn't result in a crash into furniture, "but, I've never been to a nice restaurant before... and what about tomorrow? Shouldn't you get ready for work tomorrow? Not only that, You don't need to spoil me. You already do enough for-"

"That's going to be a rule on tonight's date. No worrying, about anything. You can't tell me _we_ don't deserve a nice night out, can you? Besides, I know a lot of has been going on lately, so it's a great chance to just let everything go and have an exciting night together."

He had her there with that. She had been worrying about a lot of things lately, with Fiona and overflowing orders, the heat was no help. She saw this as a chance to really start over, putting all the stressful and worrisome ideas behind and move forward with him, stronger than ever. Deep down, she also felt that this would be a good opportunity to show Raeger that, in case Fiona did somehow break through to him, that she herself was a much better option than that trash who calls herself a woman.

"Well, how does that sound?" his husky tone snapped her out of her thoughts. "Exciting, high-class dinner with a side of worry-free?" Smiling up at him, she nodded, making his heart leap, extending out his arm and twirling her around. Bringing her back in towards him, he held out her hand while keeping a firm hold around her waist, gently dipping her down. Her cheeks blushed at his gesture, turning her face away to hide her face, she left her neck open for him. Gladly accepting her unknowing invitation, his lips found their way to her collar as he lifted her back up.

Enjoying the feeling of his soft lips against her skin, she giggled as she tried to playfully push him off.

"Raeger!" she squealed.

"Oh, right," he said, pulling away from her neck and straightening his posture. "It's not very chivalrous to leave anything before before we go out, is it?"

"Not exactly," responding with a lure in her tone, "but I still enjoy it."

"That's too bad," reacting to her seduction, he pulled her in close as his playful smirk grew, "I've got be good now."

"As do I," wrapping her hands around his neck, she rested her head against his chest, feeling his beating heart against her cheek. "I'm starting to get excited for our special night on the town."

"Great! Now I know it's not traditional, but just meet me at my house at four, and I'll have a taxi pick us up around then,so-"

A sudden thought hit her like a brick; she didn't have any idea what to wear! With only a few hours to prepare, she started to get a little worried.

"Wait, wait a second!" she exasperated, separating herself from the embrace with a panic. "How should I dress? I don't even think I have anything that's 'fine-dining' appropriate and I only have a couple hours to get anything..."

"Okay, the worry-free part of the date starts now," Raeger demanded jokingly, secretly finding her cute as she began to fret, "I'm sure you'll look amazing, no matter what you choose to where."

"That doesn't help me out..."

"Alright, well, just think clean and proper I guess."

She let a disgruntled sigh, none of this was helping her out at all.

"I know you'll look fantastic," he assured her, "but I need to get back home. I still need to get ready myself. Don't forget, four o' clock!" Giving her a quick hug goodbye, she could feel the excitement rush from him to her from mere contact before he left.

"Yeah, four-," was her delayed response as she watched him nearly run down the trail from her window. Then, lightening striking her thoughts, she ran over to phone and dialed faster than ever before.

"Hello? Lillie? I need your help!"

* * *

Half-skipping all the way home, Licorice headed towards the western side of Oak Tree Town. She needed to stop by Agate's house who told her that she could use her laptop to put together her research. Each step just made her more excited and pleased. Everything just seemed to be going good for her; her career was facing a possible upgrade and she couldn't be happier to have a possible relationship with Nadi.

Passing by the antique shop, she glanced over at Klaus's house, gazing at it for a few moments. Taking a deep breath, she felt free from the obsession she had for him, trapping her in a swirl of unrealistic expectations for herself and from him. As she turned back towards Agates house, she stopped once again in her tracks, catching sight of Klaus walking towards his home. Judging by his upright posture and peculiar fast stride, she figured he didn't even notice her and assumed he was in a great need to get home.

Continuing her way to her original destination, she kept a careful watch on him in her peripherals, but when he approached his door, she turned her head completely, feeling safe to look. Watching his figure disappear beyond the frame of the door, she also happened to catch a glimpse of a woman. She was sitting on his couch with her bare legs crossed. Licorice couldn't make out who it was from afar, but she had a feeling it wasn't Iris; she wasn't the type of woman to wear skirts. Knocking on Agate's front door, she started shaking off the uneasy feeling she felt in her stomach, swallowing the fact that it was really none of her business. Without warning, the door swung open in front of her.

"Rish!" Agate greeted loudly. "I'm so glad to see you!"

"It's great to see you, too!" Licorice squeaked, matching her excitement. Inviting her in, she sat on a chair as she waited for her to retrieve her laptop. While she waited, she observed the room around her, seeing several dresses hung up along a door frame while others were neatly hung over random chairs. Along the floor were many different pairs of shoes ranging from stiletto heels to simple sandals. She raised an eyebrow to the odd closet-cleaning scenario.

 _'What in the world does she do when she's out of town?!'_

"By the way, you should stay awhile!" Agate shouted from upstairs, still scrambling to find the laptop.

"I'd love to, but maybe you should, uh, tell me why you've an entire boutique scattered around your living room!"

"Akiko just called and she's coming down with Lillie!" Agate shrieked with excitement as she ran down the stairs with the laptop clutched in her fingers.

"Really? So, is it like a dress up girls night or something?" _  
_

"Even better! Akiko called and she needs something for a hot date tonight with Raeger!"

"A hot date? Well, that's a little, uhm..."

"Yeah, we've got to get Akiko dolled up for sexy night on the town!"

Failing to fish up a reaction to what Agate just said, Licorice's expression said it all with eyes wider than a full moon, then burst into laughter. The scenario didn't even sound real, so she decided to stay to see what was really going on.

"Well, this should be fun!"

* * *

Back at the Inn...

Kamil sprawled out on his bed, the conversation with Licorice still fresh in his mind.

 _"Kamil," Licorice's stern voice broke through, getting his full attention, "you still have feelings for Akiko, don't you?"_

 _"I'm in a relationship with Elise now," he responded, playing off a seeming forced smile. "She's been really great to me, and I'm thankful that she's an important part of my life now."_

 _"That's great and I'm glad you're happy, but you avoided my question..."_

 _It was true, he dodged her question because he didn't even know how to answer it himself. After a long, exasperated sigh, he found the courage to speak._

 _"I didn't think I still did," he mumbled._

 _"But?" she pressed for a full response._

 _"But, the feelings I felt for her back then haven't changed, but I swear, I'm not going to try anything. I'm really glad she's found someone who makes her happier than I could ever hope to."_

Those words felt muddy as they slipped through his teeth. Part of what he said was true; he really was happy for her and he wasn't going to attempt to win her affections any longer, but it killed him inside that she still chose Raeger over him. He could never wrap his head around it.

 _'What made him more compatible than me?'_ his thoughts pounded in his head as he rolled over onto his back. _'What did he do different? What did you see in him that you couldn't see in me? I don't understand...'_

 _'Do I have feelings for Elise, my darling flower? Yes, so then why does she still penetrate my thoughts? Akiko...'_

"Hey, Kamil?"

Looking over, he heard Nadi calling for him through the closed door, disturbing his thoughts. Getting up to answer, he straightened out his clothing and hair before opening the door to greet Nadi.

"Nadi, what a surprise," Kamil welcomed him in, but Nadi refused, holding out his hands which held a nice shirt and slacks. "Oh, thank you! You even washed them, that was nice."

Nadi simply nodded, then turned around to head back to his own room. It didn't surprise Kamil that he wanted to cut it short, but he did have one thing he needed to ask before he disappeared into his room.

"I'm taking that the date went well?" he inquired.

Without even looking back to reveal the large grin that appeared on his face, Nadi called back to his neighbor.

"Very."


End file.
